Shiro, Kuro
by SilverCrescent17
Summary: 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme, Post Game. They were day and night, poor and rich, sun and moon, white and black. They were as different as two people could possibly be. So why was it that he found himself falling for her? UPDATED! I'M BACK!
1. Escape

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: Those of you that go to Livejournal and don't see this there, I'm still waiting for my claim to be approved. Enjoy! **

**Theme 18: Escape**

WildKat was quiet, a welcome relief from the world of Players, Noise, and Reapers outside. It was because of this that Yoshiya Kiryu, Composer of Shibuya, known as Joshua, came here when the pressures of keeping the Shibuya UG intact became too much. Now that Shibuya had finally been completely fixed from all the alterations made by Kitaniji, a Game was starting up again. It was the third day, and while he was tempted to see how his new Conductor and his Game Master were doing, he decided not to. Even someone with his power needed a break once in a while. After all, when it came to that, he was only a 16-year-old boy.

He let his eyes wander to the girl sitting at the table in front of him. She was beautiful, and would probably be even more so if she didn't cover herself up in those oversized clothes that made her look like a boy and if she grew her hair out a bit. Raimu Bito, known as Rhyme, perhaps the only person in Neku's little group that actually interested him, aside from Neku himself, of course. He was almost surprised after meeting her to learn that she was Beat's younger sister. He had never met two people less alike. While Rhyme had been allowed to skip a grade and was only in the year below them despite being 14, he doubted Beat would even finish high school, let alone with their class. Rhyme actually looked attractive, while her brother bore a striking resemblance to a gorilla…and he was probably as smart as one too. It was hard to believe that they came from the same _species_, let alone family.

She looked up from her homework, noticing that he was staring. He looked away, wondering what she would do if he moved a table over and came to sit next to her. He stopped himself before he could continue that thought. Why would he bother? He was the Composer, and there was nothing he could gain out of interacting with her. He looked away and back at his cup of coffee, taking a sip as Rhyme went back to her work.

"Are you okay over there by yourself?" she asked, smiling at him.

Joshua looked up. For a moment, he was thrown off, but he didn't let the moment last, a small smirk coming onto his face. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, his tone smug and slightly amused.

"No reason," said Rhyme, "Just that you look lonely over there, that's all. You can come sit here, if you like."

Joshua watched her for a moment, a small frown on his face. Sit with her? Why would he want to do that? Still, she had invited, so he stood up, taking his cup with him and sitting across from her. As he moved closer, he noticed that her hair was a little longer than before, reaching below her ears now. Perhaps he was wrong. Maybe she _was _growing out her hair. She was also working on math homework apparently. He glanced at it as he sat down, a little surprised. Her handwriting was neat, and her calculations looked mostly correct. Mostly.

"Take another look at number 3," he said.

Rhyme looked up at him, then glanced back down at the page. Her eyes widened as she picked up her eraser and began rubbing out the lines, then began writing again. He moved over by one chair so that he was sitting beside her (just to make sure she was answering it correctly, he told himself). She was, so he turned his attention to his coffee, wondering exactly how long it took Mr. Hanekoma to go on an errand. He doubted that he was out painting a mural again. It wasn't dark yet, although it would be soon, and it wouldn't be good if someone ended up seeing CAT's face.

"Do you go to school, Joshua?" asked Rhyme.

Joshua frowned. It wasn't often that someone asked about his life in the RG, even though it wasn't exactly a secret that he lived in both worlds. His identity as the Composer was always more interesting than his identity as the 16-year-old rich pretty boy. Yet, in the 20 minutes that he had been sitting in the same room as Rhyme, she had not mentioned the Game. Not once. He found that he actually didn't mind it so much. It was slightly refreshing.

"Mm," he said, "But not in the public school that you all attend."

"Oh," said Rhyme, smiling as she looked up from her homework once again, "So you go to the private school? I've heard that it's a really good school."

"One of the best in the country," said Joshua, smirking, "I would attend the best one, but I can't leave Shibuya for too long."

"Lucky," said Rhyme, her smile never fading as she looked back at her homework.

Joshua took another sip of coffee, watching her. Lucky? To be the Composer, or to attend that school? He didn't think he had ever thought of either of those as lucky. Rhyme…however…Rhyme was wasted where she was. He found his expression softening a little as he watched her. For one moment, he found himself thinking that she deserved better than what she had—an education that was completely average at best and clothes that were probably hand-me-downs from her brother. Now that he thought of it, he had never seen her order anything, no matter how many times Neku and his friends visited WildKat.

"Number 7," he said suddenly, standing up and leaning over as he picked up her pencil and scribbled down the right equation on a piece of scrap paper. "Do it like this."

He was hovering just an inch above her now and he stopped himself from moving closer. From where he was, he could smell the scent of her hair. She didn't wear perfume, he realized, but at the very least, she kept herself clean. It was refreshing, almost, from the high-end world that he was used to. He pulled away and dropped back to his seat, suddenly aware that his cheeks were lightly tinted with pink. If he had stayed, he had a feeling that there would be no going back. She was silent as well, frozen in place with wide blue eyes that reminded him of a deer caught in the headlights. He wondered if he should scan her to find out what she was thinking, but he decided against it.

"So, what are you doing here alone?" he asked, trying to restore some normalcy to the situation. He was the Composer. He was _Yoshiya Kiryu_. He couldn't possibly be falling for some girl who was practically picked off the streets. "Where are your friends?"

"I'm meeting up with them later," said Rhyme, snapping out of it and smiling at him. She finished off the last problem on her homework sheet, then put her pencil down. "Sometimes, it's nice to escape once in a while."

Escape…

Joshua smirked, running his hands through his white hair and leaning back in his seat. He took another sip of coffee. In a way, they were both there for the same reason. They both needed escape from their daily lives, and they just happened to find it at the same place…at the same table.

Escape…

He watched her again, more intently this time, and Rhyme's face turned pink as she dropped her gaze.

"Hmm…" he said.

Perhaps he would be "escaping" more often, then.


	2. Numb

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: Those of you that go to Livejournal and don't see this there, I'm still waiting for my claim to be approved. Enjoy! **

**Theme 23: Numb**

It had been about a week since that encounter at WildKat. By this time, the Game was over, and unlike the last time a Game had been held in Shibuya, this one went off without a hitch. The winner even attended Joshua's school, which made it a very good thing that he had never seen Joshua's face. Joshua watched from the window of his car as a ghost stood on the sidewalk, completely ignored by everyone else. He smirked and settled back into his seat, resting his hands on his sleek black schoolbag. The next Game wouldn't be for a while, but he wondered if that ghost would be one of the Players when it did come about.

He pulled out his phone and idly flipped through the messages. Uzuki had done a good job as Game Master, and although Kariya had been reluctant to accept the role, Joshua had to admit that his performance as Conductor left no room for complaints. He had been right to pick them. He had a few messages from Mr. Hanekoma as well, mostly nonsense things, although some were actually important. And then there was the message from Neku, inviting him to some silly gathering at Hachiko. He was busy then, since the Game was just about over, but even if he wasn't busy, he doubted he would have made an appearance. Shiki and Beat annoyed him, but…

…Perhaps he would have gone for Rhyme.

He frowned and put the thought out of his head, flipping his cellphone shut as he leaned his arm on the armrest, returning to looking out of the window as the streets of Shibuya sped by. They were nearing the outskirts of the city now. He stared at the snow-covered ground, tinted orange by the setting sun. This morning had been the first snowfall of what looked a hard winter, not that the cold really bothered him. After all, everywhere he went had perfect heating, and even if it didn't, he was still the Composer.

He was about to look at the window when he saw a dark shape lying facedown in the snow and caught sight of a head of blond hair. For a moment, he thought his blood had turned to ice. It couldn't be…could it?

"Nori, stop the car!" said Joshua.

Tires screeched and Joshua pitched forward, restrained only by his seatbelt, as the car came to a full stop. His driver, Nori, turned around to face him, black wings pressing into he driver's seat behind him. He had chosen a Reaper as his driver, knowing that he could slip from the RG to the UG effortlessly if that was the case. Nori was one of the few ordinary Reapers who knew of his identity as Composer, and he had already sworn him to secrecy.

"Master Joshua?" asked Nori.

Joshua dismissed the question with a wave of his hand, unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the door. He stepped out into the cold, running over to the figure. She was half-covered in snow and wearing her school uniform instead of the boy's clothes he usually saw her in, but there was no mistaking the fact that Rhyme Bito was lying unconscious in the snow in front of him.

_Whimper…_

Okay, maybe not unconscious. Joshua bent over and lifted her up, slinging one of her arms over his shoulder. She was lighter than he expected she would be. The winter coat of her school uniform was tattered and threadbare in places, probably bought secondhand and not a very good secondhand at that, and she wasn't wearing gloves. It had snowed hard in the afternoon, and Joshua could only guess that she had gotten caught in it on her way home. He brought her over to the car and settled her in the back seat. She groaned. She was conscious, but just barely. He slid into the seat beside her and shut the door. Nori took that as his cue and continued to drive.

"Where to, Master Joshua?" asked Nori as Joshua began to examine Rhyme more closely.

"Home, Nori," said Joshua, "We'll figure out what to do with her there."

Nori nodded, and as the car sped off towards home, Joshua placed his hand on Rhyme's cheek. He pulled his hand away quickly. She was ice cold. It was hard to believe that she was still alive. Rhyme let out another whimper, leaning forward so that her head rested almost facedown on Joshua's shoulder. He stiffened, but made no attempt to move her. She was just searching for warmth, after all.

"Still alive?" he asked, trying to keep his usual cool.

"…My hands…" muttered Rhyme.

"Numb?" asked Joshua.

He received a whimper in reply. Joshua sighed, and picked up one of her slender hands. He expected smooth skin, but instead felt some calluses. That was to be expected, of course. Rhyme didn't lead the easy life he thought she deserved to lead. He began to massage her hand, trying to get the circulation started again, and trying to ignore the way her hand fit perfectly in his. He felt the warmth start to come back into her hand, and heard her whimper again.

"…It hurts…"

"Pins and needles," he muttered, not relenting in his massage of her hand. She whimpered again. "It's a good sign. It will pass."

Rhyme didn't complain again, not even when he released her first hand and started on the other one, although she did whimper a few times. He had to admire that. At least he wasn't whiny, like someone like Shiki would be. Rhyme moved on his shoulder, and he stiffened as she drew closer to him, her hair just barely touching his nose. Against his better judgment, Joshua leaned in, closing his eyes as he breathed in her scent. When Nori entered the gates and began driving up to his mansion, he snapped out of it, pulling away quickly with wide eyes.

One of the maids came out to help Rhyme into the house. Nori picked up his cellphone as Joshua followed.

"I will call the doctor for the young lady," said Nori.

Joshua nodded and followed the maid and Rhyme into the house. The maids quickly swarmed around Rhyme, giving her a change of clothes, wrapping her in warm blankets and bringing her to a guest room. Joshua was glad that none of them commented on it. The last thing he needed was strange questions. A doctor arrived and examined her. Rhyme would live, he said, she just needed to rest and stay warm, and take medicine for her fever. Now that she was no longer as cold as ice, Joshua had noticed that she was developing one.

Once the excitement had died down and everyone left Rhyme alone to rest, Joshua leaned in the doorframe of the room he was in, staring down at his hand. He could still remember the feel of her hand in his…the scent of her hair, and the fear he felt when he had first seen her facedown in the snow. He sighed and shook his head. He felt nothing for the girl. It had been an act of kindness. That was all. The fact that his heart was beating slightly faster and his usually pale face was lightly dusted with pink was only the fault of the change of temperature. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, searching for Beat's number and calling it.

"Yeah?" asked Beat from the other end of the line.

"Hello, Daisukenojo, how are you?" asked Joshua, in his usual smug, teasing tone, smirking as he heard Beat's cry of outrage.

"How the hell d'you get my number?" asked Beat.

"Temper, temper," said Joshua, his smirk growing wider. It was always fun to taunt the gorilla. "I'm the Composer, remember? And if you don't act a little nicer, I won't tell you what happened to your sister."

"Rhyme?!?" asked Beat, "What the hell d'you do to Rhyme, freak?!?"

"Me?" asked Joshua, his voice taking on a mocking hurt tone, "Daisukenojo, you always expect the worst from me. I _found _little Rhyme lying facedown in the snow and took her to my house to warm up. She's resting now and will need to stay in bed until at least tomorrow. Doctor's orders. But hey, first thing tomorrow, how about I drop your darling little sister off for you? I'd give you directions to come and get her, but they're second grade level, a little too complex for you."

"Damn right!" said Beat, and Joshua had to keep himself from laughing out loud. It was too bad Neku wasn't there to point out that Beat was being insulted. "If you touch my sister, I'm gonna kill you."

"Why would I dream of doing such a thing?" asked Joshua, "Just letting you know. See you tomorrow, Daisuke—."

"It's Beat!" said Beat, before hanging up.

Joshua smirked again, slipping his phone back into his pocket. The loss of one or two IQ points from talking to Beat didn't make it any less amusing. He walked over to Rhyme, looking down at her as she lay in bed, curled up on one side with her splayed out behind her. A small smirk appeared on his face as he turned around, about to walk away. Her fingers closed around the fabric of his shirt, stopping him. Joshua frowned, and turned around to face her.

…He felt nothing for her.

Joshua backed up and sat down next to her pillow, placing a hand on her head. Rhyme calmed down and released her hold on him, falling back into a peaceful sleep. Joshua stayed there, his hand on her head as his fingers gently wove through her blond hair, his expression softening as he watched her sleep.

…Nothing at all.

Two days later, a package arrived at the Bito house, with no return address. Inside it were two brand new winter uniforms, and two brand new summer uniforms as well, all exactly Rhyme's size, as well as one black winter coat and a pair of dark-colored gloves. When Rhyme examined the gloves, she found one note.

…_For numb hands…_


	3. Sweet

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**A/N: Those of you that go to Livejournal and don't see this there, I'm still waiting for my claim to be approved. Enjoy! **

**Theme 02: Sweet**

December had arrived, and with it, the usual overflowing of Christmas trees and brightly colored Christmas decorations. The whole city of Shibuya was getting dressed up for a holiday that 98% of the population didn't really believe in anyway. He supposed that was just Shibuya. The city often went with a lot of trends, and Christmas was trendy in so many parts of the world. It was simply a time to add more lights to the already bright city. Joshua personally thought it made him feel a little disgusted, and a little amused as well. He wasn't quite sure where he stood on the whole issue, but he did know enough to know that there was some sort of an afterlife, and that there likely was something even higher than a Composer.

He put the thought out of his mind as the car drove up to his mansion. It was already about 2 in the afternoon. He had expected to be back for lunch, but his work had kept him longer than usual. Kariya, no surprise there, was already asking him about Christmas leave. He didn't intend to hold a Game over the holidays, so he decided to let Kariya go…tomorrow. For now, he simply told his Conductor that he would think about it.

"Master Joshua, you have a guest," said the maid as he walked in through the door, "I've sent her to the study to wait for you."

Joshua nodded, handing her his coat. A guest? Neku and the others didn't know where he lived, and he had just gotten back from speaking with the Reapers. His father wasn't home, not that he ever really was home, and he wasn't expecting anyone to come today. Most of the people from his school had enough sense to call before dropping in unexpectedly, there weren't any group projects due, and it was a Sunday to boot. He frowned, wondering exactly who his guest could be as he opened the door to his study. He turned towards her, a small smirk appearing on his face. Ah, of course.

"Rhyme," he said, nodding at her as he closed the door behind her. He smirked at her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She looked up and turned to face him as he walked into the room. She was sitting down on one of the armchairs in the center of the room, in front of the coffee table. She was dressed in the clothes that she usually wore, except he noticed that the coat and gloves he had given her were hanging from a coat rack against the wall. A book was in her lap, and judging from how far along she was, she must have been waiting a long time. Still, he smiled at the thought that she was more interested in the books than the other interesting things in the room. If she had been her older brother, the study would be a mess by now.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you…for that time," said Rhyme, smiling at him, "And for the coat and uniforms too, you really didn't have to."

"What, and risk you freezing to death when my back is turned?" he asked in his usual teasing tone, laughing a bit at the end of it and smirking at her as he sat down across from her.

Rhyme's smile never wavered. She really was too nice for her own good. Her death had been because she couldn't leave her brother alone, and she got erased during the Game because she was trying to protect him…or so he heard. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"Have you been waiting long?" he asked, pushing a handful of white hair behind his ear.

"Not really," said Rhyme, "I came in at around 12:30. They told me you were out but that you were supposed to come home soon, so they let me wait in here. I picked up this book while waiting…um…I hope you don't mind…" She looked away at the last part, seeming a little uncertain.

"It's fine," said Joshua, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you enjoying the book?"

"Mm-hmm," said Rhyme, smiling and nodding, "It's interesting, although I'm only a few chapters in."

"Keep it, then," said Joshua, waving his hand dismissively, "Just return it when you're finished. I'm sure it won't be missed for the…" he glanced at the number of pages she had managed to read already, "…day that it's out."

"Are you sure?" asked Rhyme, frowning a bit. Joshua nodded and she smiled, putting the book beside her. "Thanks. I'll take good care of it!"

"Somehow, I believe that," said Joshua, his smirk changing into something more like a smile for a second. It only lasted a moment, though, and the next thing he knew, it was a smirk again. "Have you eaten?"

"Yup," said Rhyme, "I grabbed a few bites to eat before coming here."

Joshua had to wonder exactly how many bites those were, but he said nothing about it, instead getting up and walking over to the desk. He picked up a box and placed it on the coffee table in between them, opening it. Inside were several dark chocolate truffles.

"Help yourself," he said.

Rhyme glanced at him for a moment, then smiled and picked up one of the truffles, biting into it. He noticed that a little bit of the filling remained on her face after the truffle was gone. Rhyme didn't notice at all, busying herself with looking around the room. He frowned in thought, picking up one of the truffles and taking a bite of it. It still surprised him sometimes how someone could go through the number of things that she had gone through and still come out as cheerful as she was.

"Do you live here all alone?" she asked.

It took him a while to realize that she was speaking. He looked up at her, holding back the answer that came easiest to him ("Yes, unless you count the army of servants running around the house every time of the day"). He had a feeling that someone with even Rhyme's patience had limits, and for some reason, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out what they were.

"Most of the time," he said, "My father travels a lot. This is actually his study."

"And your mother?" asked Rhyme.

Joshua shrugged. "Living with her new husband and family, I suppose. My parents divorced a long time ago."

"Oh," said Rhyme, her face falling a bit, "Sorry to bring it up."

"It's nothing," said Joshua, his smirk returning to his face as he dismissed the comment with another wave of his hand, "I'm actually rather grateful about the situation. It wouldn't do to have two parents around to witness my comings and goings as the Composer, would it?"

"I guess," said Rhyme, although she still looked unsure as she picked up another chocolate. He did the same. Dark chocolate was actually his favorite kind. Most of the others were too sweet for his tastes, although he did take some every now and again. She still looked guilty about bringing it up. He sighed.

"And you?" he asked, "How are things at home?"

"Fine," said Rhyme, smiling, "Mom and Dad stopped arguing so much with _nii-chan_, except about his grades, but I think _nii-chan's _working on it."

"It's going to take a lot of work then," said Joshua before he even realized what he was saying. If Rhyme was upset at his comment, though, she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled and nodded.

"Mm," she said, "But I'm helping too."

"In that case, maybe slightly less work," he said in his usual tone, smirking at her. Rhyme smiled and shrugged.

"Hopefully," she replied.

The two of them talked for a few more minutes, mostly about unimportant things. Rhyme talked about the things she had done with Shiki over the weekend, her Christmas plans with her family, and the antics of her friends, and Joshua listened, even though he couldn't care less what her friends were up to. Rhyme asked him a few questions too, and he answered most of them. He noticed that just like at WildKat, she didn't bring up the subject of the UG or anything related to it, and although she would go down that path if he brought it up, would eventually find a way to bring it back to life in the RG. It was interesting, but that wasn't the surprising thing…

…The surprising thing was that he actually didn't mind talking to her.

It was around 3:30 when Rhyme decided that it was time for her to leave. By then, they had finished half of the box of chocolates. She stood up.

"Well, thank you again, Joshua," she said, picking up the book, "And thanks for the book."

"It's no problem," said Joshua, watching as she walked over to the coat stand to take her coat and gloves. "Come back anytime, but call first. I'm not always around."

As an afterthought, he picked up the notepad on the coffee table, writing down his name and number and handing it to her. Rhyme glanced at it for a moment, then smiled and nodded, putting the piece of paper in her pocket. She picked up the notepad and the pen and scribbled something on it.

"Here's mine," she said, handing it to him. He took the paper from her and nodded as she put her hat back on. He frowned in thought, noticing that there was still chocolate on her lips.

"Well, I'm going," she said, smiling, "Thanks for having me over, Joshua!"

She turned to walk away. Joshua placed a hand on her wrist, stopping her. She turned around to face him, a confused look on her face.

"You have something on your face," he said in explanation, cupping her chin with his hand.

He felt her gasp as he ran his finger over her parted lips, brushing off any traces of the chocolate. They were chapped, he noticed, probably because of the weather. He lightly traced the outline of her lips with his finger when he was done. She was staring straight at him, completely frozen, and as he watched her, he was suddenly tempted to bridge that gap and press his lips to hers. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled away. Rhyme turned red.

"I…um…b-bye!" she said, obviously flustered. She bowed, and walked out of the door. Joshua frowned for a moment, glancing in the mirror and noticing his own face was slightly flushed. He listened to her hurried footsteps down the hall, smirking as he picked up one last truffle and took a bite out of it.

…For some reason, the chocolate tasted sweeter.

…For some reason, he didn't mind at all.

**Review Responses: **

**AntiSora: **Thank you for reading it even though you don't like the pairing. Honestly, it surprised me a bit too that there are other fics like this out there. When I thought of pairing Joshua and Rhyme, it was just a random idea but it turns out a lot of people think that random way, haha.

tvtropes(dot)org Look up "Pair the Spares" for a possible explanation to this Joshua x Rhyme phenomenon, and thank you for reading.

**romeaddict: **Thanks! I'm glad you like it! ^__^ Yeah, I personally don't think Joshua is all bad, but he does have a few issues, doesn't he, tee hee? P.S: Looked up your profile and, wow, you're a Pinoy too? XD. I moved to the states just last May.

**Draycos: **Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it and I'm glad I managed to make you go "aww". Hopefully this chapter works well. I honestly have no idea how this story's going to turn out since I'm picking out the themes at random XD. So the plot can go anywhere from here! ^__^


	4. White

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: Those of you that go to Livejournal and don't see this there, I'm still waiting for my claim to be approved. (At this rate, I'll be finished by the time they approve my claim .) Enjoy! **

**Theme 06: White**

He wasn't home when Rhyme showed up to return the book, however, when she went into the study to place the book back on the shelves, she found a thank you note from him on the coffee table, along with a tube of chapstick...

…It had been about two weeks since then, and it was the first day of the winter break. Kariya had already left for Christmas leave, dragging a protesting Uzuki with him. Joshua found that he wasn't sure he wanted to know where they were going. The UG was getting full of restless ghosts again. It would probably be time to hold another Game after the winter break.

He walked down the sidewalk, stepping over some of the newly-fallen snow. It had snowed just a few minutes ago, and from the looks of things, it was about to snow again. He frowned, putting one hand in his pocket as he glanced at his phone. In those two weeks, he had not seen Rhyme once. He didn't know if she was avoiding him, if he was avoiding her, or if circumstances simply weren't making it easy for them to meet. He had, however, received several text messages from her, mostly about nonsense things and one or two emoticons.

…But now he had a strange message on his phone, not from Rhyme, but from Kariya of all people.

"_If you want to see something interesting, go to Miyashita Park at around 4PM." _

He wasn't sure exactly what Kariya meant, but he wasn't the Conductor for nothing. If Kariya was asking him to look at something, it merited at least a passing investigation. And that was why he had sent Nori ahead of him, and was walking down the road towards Miyashita Park, on the way to Cat Street.

He stopped for a moment after he climbed the final few steps and stepped out of the Miyashita Park Underpass, a small smirk on his face as he shook his head slightly and glanced at his phone. So that was what Kariya meant. He snapped his phone shut, slipping it back into his pocket. Kariya was possibly the only Reaper in the world that would dare to meddle in his Composer's personal life. Joshua actually found it amusing.

Rhyme was standing there, completely oblivious to the fact that he was watching her. She was leaning over the railing, watching as cars and people passed below. Snow began to fall again, and her face took on an expression of childlike wonder as she looked up and watched the snow fall. The sound of cars came up from the street below and people were walking back and forth across the road, but Rhyme ignored them.

"So this is where you disappear to?" he asked, walking over to her.

She jumped and turned around to face him. She looked almost guilty, as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. The thought amused him, and his smirk grew a little bit wider as he moved to stand next to her.

"J-Joshua, hi," she said, smiling at him. She leaned back against the railing, her hands behind her with her eyes closed as snowflakes landed on her. If Joshua could use that word without any sarcasm, he would have probably said she actually looked "cute". He raised a hand, touching his finger to her lips. She froze, staring at him, and his smirk grew wider.

"You've been using the chapstick," he said, pulling his hand away, "Good."

"I…um…th-thanks!" said Rhyme, smiling again, although there was some color in her cheeks that he didn't think came from the weather.

He smirked and nodded, turning so that he leaned over the railing as well, and looking over the street below. Cars passed by below him, crossing through the Underpass and coming out on the other side. He heard her breathing even out as she relaxed, turning around as well so she could look at the view.

"Enjoying the view?" he asked.

Rhyme nodded, and smiled. "It's pretty in the winter," she said.

"Oh?" asked Joshua, turning towards her.

"Yeah," said Rhyme, smiling as she looked out at the view of the city, "Everything looks…cleaner when it's covered in snow. It looks new…"

"Hmm…" said Joshua, an amused smile coming onto his face as he looked at her. "You're interesting, Rhyme…"

"Huh?" asked Rhyme, turning towards him with a puzzled look on her face.

He folded his arms on the railing, letting his hands hang over the side as he faced her. "Not even one month ago, the snow would have killed you, and here you are, standing here, staring at it, and calling it pretty, and at Miyashita Park of all places…" He paused for a moment, his smirk fading as his expression turned slightly serious. "If memory serves me, you died right underneath this spot."

She stared at him for a moment, then giggled, smiled, and shrugged, turning to look over the street again. She looked at it and he watched her, and in one moment he saw something deeper in her blue eyes. There was sadness there, and appreciation, and many other feelings that he couldn't quite read and identify, and through it all, she was smiling as the snow fell from above and landed on her.

"…There are a lot of beautiful things that can also be dangerous," she said at last, smiling softly, "…That doesn't stop them from being beautiful. And there are a lot of nice places you can get killed at. That doesn't stop them from being nice. If I lived my whole life scared of death…" She paused for a moment, turning to him and smiling as she closed her eyes, "Then I wouldn't really be alive anymore, right?"

"Mm…" said Joshua, nodding at her.

He watched as she stared at the snow again, the same look of wonder on her face as it fell over the area. She was going to live her life without being afraid, even though she had already experienced death once, and probably had a few brushes with it in her short life. He thought that he was starting to understand her, just a little bit. She turned towards him and smiled at him, and he found himself smiling back as he looked over at the view again.

Snow fell over the city, turning it white, and Rhyme watched it all in wonder. And occasionally, he turned towards her.

"It's your favorite color, isn't it?" asked Rhyme suddenly.

"What is?" asked Joshua, not turning to face her as he watched the snow fall.

"White," said Rhyme, "You have a lot of things in that color…and your hair too." She giggled slightly. He didn't answer her question.

"…It suits you," he said, instead.

"What does?" asked Rhyme, looking a little confused.

"White," said Joshua. She turned towards him, still looking confused.

"I never wear anything in that color," she said.

He smirked and shook his head, turning to look over the railing again. Rhyme never wore anything in that color, but that wasn't what he was talking about. For a moment, today, he had caught a glimpse of what was beneath Rhyme's surface…a small glimpse of what was inside her…

…White. Crisp, clean white, the color of newly-fallen snow, pure and untainted…

…She didn't need someone like him tainting that kind of white.

He noticed that Rhyme was still looking at him with a look of confusion on her face and he smirked again.

"Don't think too much about it," he said, then began looking at the view. She did the same, and they stood there in silence for a few moments, watching as the snow continued to fall…

When Neku and the others arrived to meet up with Rhyme, she turned around to invite Joshua to come with them, but he was already gone…

**Review Responses: **

**AntiSora: **Haha, wow what a coincidence! xD And yeah, I know what you mean. I'm doing my best not to rush it, so I hope it isn't coming along too slowly for you. I have 30 of these, and I don't want to rush the relationship xD. Hope I managed to catch you before you left, I know I did with **Synchronicity**, but yeah…xD. And I'll try and get another update on that one ASAP, so if you're still here…

**Samurai Ryo: **Thanks! I'm glad you like it! ^__^ And I'm glad you think the pairing matches! Here's another chapter for you, I hope this one turned out nice ^__^

**TwiliHime33: **Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it and I'm also glad you don't think the stories are too short. Sometimes I worry that I'm rushing them a little, haha. Honestly, the pairing was just a random thought to me, since I ship Neku x Shiki, and I wanted to pair off someone else, and the only other people left were Rhyme, Beat, and Joshua, and I don't do incest or yaoi so Beat was out of the picture, and that left Rhyme and Joshua, and I just figured, heck, why not xD. Then I got on fanfiction(dot)net and saw there was even a community about it, so…well…xD

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Wow, three reviews at once! x3! I'm going to try to reply to each one, haha. I'm really, really glad to know that you think I got them personified right. Rhyme isn't really shown much in the story, so it's a gray area where she's considered, and Joshua's thoughts aren't really shown either, so hopefully I'm getting him down right without making him too over the top. Thanks a lot, though, that really made my day. I'm glad that you like the fluff in chapter 2 and I'm also glad that you're starting to like the pairing xD. To be honest, I didn't really think there was much to it either until I started writing this and picturing it out xD. So now I'm a Josh x Rhyme convert too, haha.


	5. Close

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: Yes! My claim was approved! *dances* **

**Theme 30: Close**

He leaned back against the trunk of the tree, adjusting his position so that he was comfortable. The cold didn't bother him so much now, since he was in the UG. It probably had something to do with the dramatic difference in power he had when he shifted from the RG to the UG. He glanced at his phone, scrolling through the messages and checking the new tracker that Mr. Hanekoma had installed in it. When nothing came up, he frowned and closed his phone, glancing to the right of him at the window.

He had not intended to come here. Kariya was out because of Christmas leave and there was some rogue Reaper from another district that had slipped into Shibuya and was spreading Taboo Noise around. Normally, he wouldn't have dealt with it himself, but since every other capable Reaper was sitting around somewhere else, he decided that it had been a while since he had had some fun. He tracked the Reaper through the city and ended up erasing him and his Taboo Noise not too far from here, and that was when he realized exactly how close he was.

…He knew that Rhyme lived here, of course, but it was one thing to know that this was her street and another thing to discover it after a hurried game of cat and mouse through Shibuya. The little bit of the room that he could see from the window was obviously hers, since from where he was, he could see a desk with a stack of textbooks and some paper neatly arranged on it. He hadn't seen her since that time at Miyashita Park…

…He was getting too close to her.

He slipped his phone back into his pocket, running his fingers through his white hair in slight frustration as he moved to get down from the tree. His foot caught onto the branch as he tried to levitate, and the branches of the tree rustled. He frowned and glanced at the tear on his pant leg. He supposed that was his fault for picking a particularly thick tree to sit in.

He heard the window slide open as he settled back down on the branch and turned his head towards it. Rhyme had opened the window, her blanket wrapped around herself to ward off the cold and her hair tousled from sleep. Her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Joshua, what are you doing here?" she whispered.

He raised an eyebrow at her and extended his hand towards her. She looked a little bit unsure, but got up onto the windowsill anyway and took his hand. Rhyme found herself floating slowly towards the tree, and although she looked surprised, he had to commend her for not shouting. A pale blue light shone around her as she floated, eventually settling on the branch next to him.

"…What are you doing here?" she asked again, still keeping her voice to a whisper.

"Working," he replied.

"Working?" repeated Rhyme. She took a deep breath. "If _nii-chan_ sees…"

"He won't," said Joshua, "He can't see me, and at the moment, he can't see you either." He smirked and turned to face her, tucking a small bunch of white hair behind his ear. "But it's interesting that _you_ can see me. After all, I'm in the UG now."

Rhyme's eyes widened, and even in the dim light, he thought he saw her pale. She looked down, clutching at the fabric of her pajamas. He waited for her to respond, still smirking at her. Finally, she spoke.

"…I can see them," she said, lifting her head up although she wasn't making eye contact with him. For one moment, he thought he saw some family resemblance to Beat.

"What can you see, Rhyme?" he asked, in his usual smug tone.

"_Them…_" replied Rhyme, "Players…Reapers…"

"Noise?" asked Joshua.

"Sometimes…" admitted Rhyme. She opened her hand, and Joshua saw the black and white Player pin lying in her palm. He felt his smirk grow just a little bit wider. That explained why she seemed so reluctant to talk about the UG.

"How long?" he asked.

"…Since we got back," said Rhyme, still looking down. "Neku and the others can't see them…it's just me. Um…they don't know that I can do it. I just asked them…a few days after we got back…they looked at me like I was crazy…"

"Hmm…" said Joshua, frowning slightly. He had a theory, one that he would probably need to go over with Mr. Hanekoma since he was the one that was involved in it. "It might have had something to do with that time you were a Noise. Mr. Hanekoma will probably know more about it since he's the one who put you in that pin. We can go to WildKat and ask him about it tomorrow. In any case…"

He smirked and reached over, placing a hand on her chin and turning her face so that she was facing him. He felt her stiffen and leaned over, his hand moving from her chin to her cheek as his fingers lightly brushed the area beside her right eye. This close, he once again felt tempted to close the gap between them. He heard her gasp.

"It appears you have my eyes," he said, "Unfortunately…"

"When did…when did you start…" began Rhyme. He felt her tremble slightly beneath his fingers and his smirk grew a little wider.

"Start seeing those things?" he asked, "Since the day I was born, although I didn't understand it until Mr. Hanekoma explained it to me." He pulled away from her, and she remained frozen in place.

"Well, I wonder if you have anything else," he said, "Have you tried moving things?"

"N-No…" said Rhyme. She took a deep breath. "I…can barely scan…so…"

"So you didn't think you could do something advanced when you can barely manage something basic?" he said. She nodded. He smirked at her again. "And you were afraid to try…"

There was a long pause, and then Rhyme nodded again. She suddenly looked up at him, eyes wide. "Don't tell the others," she said, "Especially _nii-chan…_you know how he'll get…"

"I can imagine," said Joshua. He smirked. "Still…I'm surprised at you, Rhyme. I would have thought you of all people would discuss something like this with your friends."

She sighed, curling up and hugging her knees. "…Neku, Shiki and _nii-chan…_they've already left that world…just because I can't leave, I don't want to…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but she didn't need to. Her meaning was already clear. She didn't want to drag her friends back into the world they had spent three weeks trying to leave. Admirable, in a way. He smirked and levitated so that he was floating in front of her. Joshua extended a hand, placing it on her head. She looked up at him.

"WildKat, 3:30 tomorrow," he said in his usual tone, "Don't be late."

Blue light surrounded her and she began floating backwards, back through the window and back into the RG. Joshua began to float away, heading back towards his mansion. He smirked slightly at the irony of the situation. He was just about ready to completely distance himself from her, and suddenly it seemed like fate had conspired to bring her closer again.

**Review Responses: **

**AntiSora: **Well, I'm glad you think this is at the right pace, although I don't think I caught you again. Oh well, I hope you can read it when you get back! Have fun in Japan if you see this, and if you don't see this until you get back, I hope you had fun!

**Samurai Ryo: **Thank you! I'm glad you like it! I hope it keeps going too, I'm actually surprised that it got this far. 1/6th of the way there, haha.

**TwiliHime33: **Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I honestly wasn't so sure about this chapter, but I'm glad you liked it. Actually, this winter was my first time seeing snow in my whole life, since I just moved here from a tropical country, so…this is the first time I can write about it with some experience, although still not much xD.

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Yeah, hehe *sweatdrop* I wrote that chapter as quickly as possible, so I understand if it's rushed. I'm trying to turn out one per day but I don't know how that's going to work. And thanks for the tip about the ellipses. I'll go back over that if and when I finish everything! ^__^ Still glad you found it cute though.

**Twilightacademy: **Wow, thanks! I'm really flattered to know that I have a fan out there, especially after just two stories. And thanks for the review on **Synchronicity **too. I'm glad you like the pairings and the story, and I'm glad you like the plot. Hopefully this wasn't too much of a wallbanger *sweatdrop* I honestly have very few ideas about how the plot is going, since I'm just going with the themes which I pick randomly.

**Vixen's Shadow: **Thanks so much for the long review Kat, Crys, and Vix. They sound like interesting people, I wonder if they'd like to meet my RP characters XD. Um, actually I didn't know about Rhyme's color in Another Day, I just finished the game and haven't yet tackled that, although I really was just trying to go with the theme. Thanks for telling me, though, I'll check it out. And yeah, Josh can be a really frustrating character to write correctly so I'm not at all surprised to hear that he's a little bit OOC in this one. Thanks for the review!


	6. Never

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Aww, guess I missed **AntiSora**. Oh well, here's a new chapter for everyone!

**Theme 08: Never**

Never was such a strong word, especially when used to refer to the future. It was impossible to say exactly what would happen in the future. Life had a habit of surprising people, and people that used words such as "always" and "never" more often than not found themselves made out to be wrong.

…Joshua was the kind of person who didn't particularly enjoy being wrong.

He sat at the counter of Mr. Hanekoma's shop, a cup of coffee in front of him as he glanced at the clock. It was 3:20. No doubt she would be arriving soon. He turned his attention away from it and at the letter in front of him. It had been printed on cream-colored paper, in blue cursive lettering. He turned the invitation over in his hand, then frowned and put it away.

"What've you got there?" asked Mr. Hanekoma, resting his elbow on the counter and propping his head up in his hand.

"Father's going to be in town for a while soon," replied Joshua, slipping the envelope in his pocket. "He's hosting a function and would like me to attend."

"Are you going?" asked Mr. Hanekoma.

"Since it's being held at home, I suppose I'll have to," said Joshua, "It's after the holidays, so I assume Kariya and Uzuki will be able to handle things for just one night."

"Mm," said Mr. Hanekoma. "Just one night? Won't you have a hard time slipping out if your father's home?"

"I have my ways," said Joshua, smirking at Mr. Hanekoma. "I don't intend to give up this double life just yet if that's what you were about to ask."

"Wouldn't dream of saying anything of the sort," said Mr. Hanekoma, smiling slightly. He looked past Joshua and at the door. "Ah, looks like our guest is here." He raised a hand in greeting as Joshua heard the door open and the bell ring. "Hey, Skulls Jr."

Joshua twitched, taking a sip of coffee and hoping Mr. Hanekoma didn't notice. For some reason, that nickname didn't really agree with him. He glanced at the clock and turned around to look at her. He smirked. So she wasn't late after all, although she had cut it close. Rhyme looked a little nervous as she approached the counter and sat down. She wasn't wearing any of her usual smiles.

"Good afternoon, Rhyme," he said in his normal smug tone.

"G-Good afternoon, Mr. H…Joshua," said Rhyme, her lips curving up in a small smile as she glanced at them and looked away.

Joshua and Mr. Hanekoma exchanged glances. She was nervous, probably because she had kept this a secret for so long. It had been almost a year since she had come back from the Game. It was Mr. Hanekoma who spoke first, turning to look at her.

"So, Rhyme," he said, "Josh tells me you can still see the UG, and that you can use your player pin to scan."

"I'm…not very good at the second one," said Rhyme, hesitantly looking up to face Mr. Hanekoma, "But…yeah…that's right."

"Explain, please," said Mr. Hanekoma, taking a seat on the other side of the counter.

Rhyme frowned slightly. "…It's…a little like having bad reception," she said, "I can do it but all the Noise becomes blurred together, and people's thoughts still come true but…broken up and sometimes jumbled, like when a phone connection starts breaking up…"

Mr. Hanekoma frowned. "That probably has to do with the fact that you're alive," he said, "Your mind…isn't used to working that way. It will probably clear up if you practice it more often, and then you'll be able to scan just like you did when you were in the UG."

"But…why…?" asked Rhyme.

"Why can you still see them, or why do you have to practice?" asked Mr. Hanekoma.

"…Both," said Rhyme.

Joshua sat back and watched the interaction, noticing that he was mostly forgotten. Rhyme seemed tense. She probably didn't want to have to see what she saw, and at the same time…she seemed curious. He wondered exactly how this would play out. Of course, he knew that he wasn't the only one to be born with abilities like this, but Rhyme wasn't born with them. For one reason or another, she had acquired them, and he knew that he had never met anyone else with his abilities that still happened to be alive.

…It was an interesting situation, and he had to admit that Rhyme was stronger than he thought if she could put up with this for almost a year and not tell anyone about it. He thought back to the invitation in his pocket…

"Well, you're not supposed to be able to see them," said Mr. Hanekoma, "But if we're going to go into that, you're not supposed to be alive at all, Rhyme. Your whole case is very unusual, and I can't really be sure, but I think my best bet is that something must have happened to you when you were erased and turned into a Noise. Coffee?" He held up a cup. Rhyme shook her head.

"No? Well, anyway, where was I? Well, you don't really _need _to practice, but it would be a waste if you didn't. Plus…if you can see them, they might be able to see you, and just because Shibuya is clear of Taboo Noise, doesn't mean it will always be. Josh had to go chase down some Reaper spreading Taboo Noise through Shibuya yesterday, and, well after that whole Minamimoto incident, no one's sure he didn't leave any surprises lying around."

He grinned. "Besides, if you get really good at it, who knows, you might be able to give us a hand with some things. And nowadays? Reading minds is helpful if you want to _stay_ alive."

"…I might be able to help?" asked Rhyme. Joshua looked up, noticing that she was looking at him. He waved his hand dismissively, trying to remain nonchalant. The truth was that he was surprised. She actually _wanted _to help out if she could?

"We'll see," he said, "Depends how useful you turn out to be…"

"Besides, it's just going to go to waste if you don't work on it," said Mr. Hanekoma, "What was that thing you're always telling your friends? Waste not, want not?"

Rhyme paused for a bit, then nodded, a small smile coming onto her face. He found for a moment that the corners of his own lips had turned up for a bit at seeing her smile return and he frowned, glancing away before Mr. Hanekoma could notice anything.

"Okay," said Rhyme, smiling, "What do I have to do?"

"Hmm…let's see," said Mr. Hanekoma, taking out some 5 yen coins and placing them on the countertop. "Try moving these around, same way you did when you were in the Game."

Rhyme frowned and stared at the coins, then closed her eyes, her face screwed up in concentration as she raised her hand over them. A small spark of blue light appeared on one coin after a while, but nothing happened. Rhyme opened her eyes, shaking her head as if trying to get rid of a headache. She closed her eyes and tried again. There were two sparks this time, and one of the coins twitched, but still no movement. Mr. Hanekoma opened his mouth to speak…

"You're thinking too much," said Joshua, interrupting him. Rhyme looked up, turning towards him. Joshua glanced at Mr. Hanekoma, then stood up, walking over to her. "Close your eyes and try to clear your mind of all thoughts."

Rhyme paused for a moment, then nodded and closed her eyes. Joshua frowned for a moment as he reached out towards her with his own mind. He felt her thoughts start to calm down. That was good, she was getting there. When he felt her mind was clear enough, he pulled back.

"Now, focus on the coins…" She held her hand out over them again. "And…focus on what you want them to do. Try to move them an inch forward."

There was a burst of blue light and one of the coins shot straight off the table, narrowly missing Mr. Hanekoma's head. He ducked, covering his head with his hands as the coin ricocheted around the walls of the shop, crashing into one of the vases on the wall and breaking it. Joshua moved to the side as the coin passed by him, and Rhyme screamed, ducking under the counter. The coin bounced off the wall and came towards Joshua again and he raised a hand, blue light surrounding the coin as it floated calmly into his palm. He looked at Rhyme, who was picking herself up off the floor and standing up again, smirking at her.

"That was good…" he said, holding out his hand. The coin rested in his palm. "Now do it slowly."

After about two hours of practice, Rhyme could move the coins around on the table, by about an inch at a time. She was moving one coin across the counter when Mr. Hanekoma decided to call it a day. Rhyme looked exhausted, and already dark circles were beginning to form underneath her eyes, but she smiled at both of them as she arranged the coins with her hands and handed them back to Mr. Hanekoma.

"We need to think of a better place for her to practice," said Mr. Hanekoma, "Business is slow because of the holidays but I do have customers in here, y'know."

"She can practice at my house, then," said Joshua, smirking at her, "She already knows where it is."

He thought he saw Rhyme jump, but she looked up and smiled at him nevertheless. "If it's okay with you," she said.

"It's fine," said Joshua, waving his hand, "There's a lot of empty rooms there. You won't be disturbed."

"Joshua can teach you," said Mr. Hanekoma, nodding. Joshua looked up and turned to him, as did Rhyme. Mr. Hanekoma smiled and shrugged. "I have a shop to look after," he said, "Besides, you two are in the same age group, so Rhyme will probably be more…comfortable."

Comfortable was not the world Joshua would have used. "You're just lazy," said Joshua, speaking in his normal tone even though he was frowning.

"There's that," said Mr. Hanekoma, smiling, "But I suppose I'll see you two around, right?"

Rhyme nodded, smiling as she put her coat back on.

"Well, bye, Mr. H," said Rhyme, turning around and running out of the café. Mr. Hanekoma waited until she was long gone before turning to Joshua.

"So…when do you plan on admitting it?" he asked.

Joshua frowned, looking up at Mr. Hanekoma. "Admitting what?" he asked.

"Your feelings for that girl," said Mr. Hanekoma.

Joshua smirked at him. "Never," he said, turning around and leaving as well…

…Years later, Sanae Hanekoma would remember that day as one of the few times in life that Joshua Kiryu had been dead wrong.

**Review Responses: **

**Samurai Ryo: **Thank you for the review. I'm glad you like my stories and my ideas! ^__^ I hope it gets better too, so hopefully I'll be able to write it the best way that I can. Only 24 more themes to go!

**TwiliHime33: **Thanks ^__^ I'm glad you liked it, especially the part about Rhyme still being able to see. It was just an idea I came up with on the spot while I was walking to school yesterday morning, haha. Here's another chapter for you! ^__^

**Rebel of my Destiny: **Thanks, I'm glad you like it! Here's another update for you, hopefully I can keep this up so I can finish these 30 themes ASAP. And I'm glad you liked that plot twist ^__^ I think that's the last major one so far, but if I get any ideas, it's going to show up here. *still has no idea how this whole thing is going to turn out, haha*

**Vixen's Shadow: **Thanks again for the review, guys! My RPC's have a few things to say as well, xD.

Kaito: .…No, we don't.

Star: Yes, we do! *waves* Hi ^__^ I'm Star, nice to meet you.

Chizu: *leaning against the wall with her arms folded* Hey. *grins*

Suzume: Uh…um…h-hi…*smiles a bit*

Chizu: Don't mind her, she's shy. And she's thinking about her boyfriend.

Suzume: *turns red*

Kaito: …*sigh* Why do I have to be stuck here with these girls…*sweatdrop*


	7. Hate

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **This chapter's slightly darker than the previous ones. Not by too much, but because of the theme…well, just letting you know.

**Theme 04: Hate**

"See you, Joshua!" said Rhyme, smiling at him as she got out of the car and closed the door behind her. Joshua smirked at her and nodded, and she gave him another smile, turning around and running down the street. He folded his arms and sank back into his seat, his eyes closed as he thought of everything that had happened lately. He still had to decide what he was going to do about that function his father wanted him to attend…and then there was the matter of Rhyme's lessons as well.

Rhyme didn't start coming over to practice until after the winter holidays. By now, she was starting to get basic control down, although she still had problem focusing sometimes. Perhaps the next time she came over, they could work on levitating objects…He hadn't expected to get that far for a while, but Rhyme actually seemed to have a knack for it, and she worked hard as well.

"Master Joshua…" said Nori.

He noticed that the car wasn't moving and opened his eyes, turning towards Nori. The Reaper turned driver was looking out of the right window, down the road that Rhyme had just walked down. Joshua turned his head towards it as well. Two shadowy figures were walking down the road. Joshua frowned and closed his eyes. Fading thought fragments reached him, but he did hear two words that made him stiffen.

…_that girl…_

"Go home ahead," said Joshua, blue light surrounding him as he slipped into the UG. One of the nice things about still being alive was being able to basically turn invisible to the living people whenever he wanted. "I'll catch up."

Nori nodded, starting the car. Joshua slipped out of the car and began walking down the street, frowning as he followed the men. This would be so much easier if Rhyme would just let them drop her off at her door, but she insisted on having them drop her off a block away. He wouldn't say that he didn't see the reasoning in that. If he dropped her off at her house, her family would eventually ask questions, and she didn't want anyone to know that she was still in the UG. Still, it made things complicated, especially since she lived in this district.

The men entered an alley and Joshua frowned, stopping in place.

…_Please tell me she didn't take a shortcut…_he found himself thinking.

A whimper from the alley followed by muffled voices made his blood run cold, and he ran over to it, pressing himself to the wall and looking around the corner so that Rhyme wouldn't be able to see him if she was there. Rhyme was standing against the wall, her eyes wide as one of the men stepped closer, pointing a gun at her. The other man stepped back, watching her as the first man grabbed her by the collar of her school uniform, pushing her against the wall as he pressed the gun to her.

"So, you've got yourself a rich boyfriend, do you?" he asked, his voice barely audible to Joshua. "Hope he don't mind if we share…"

Rhyme let out another whimper, closing her eyes. Blue sparks formed around the man's hand, but it was no good. Rhyme wasn't focused enough. Joshua's fists clenched, his eyes narrowing as he felt something he had not felt in a very long time. Hatred. Pure hatred. He clenched his fists tighter as the second man moved closer to Rhyme, trying to stop himself from rushing out there. He couldn't just run in and save her. He was the Composer of Shibuya. He couldn't just use his powers in the RG any way he wanted…no matter how much he wanted to.

The man's hand closed around Rhyme's neck, and her hands scrabbled to find a tender point on his arm. Rhyme's feet lifted about an inch off the ground as he raised the gun at her. Joshua's blood turned to ice, his heart thudding painfully in his chest as he watched, forcing himself to stay put. There was a look of fear and pain on her face, and her eyes were half closed. He heard her whimper again and saw tears streaming down her face as the second man moved closer again.

…Then, he saw her mouth open, one strangled whisper falling from her lips.

"…Josh…ua…"

…Damn it…He would deal with the consequences later.

He stepped out of the UG and back to the RG, walking into the alleyway. He walked slowly, his eyes narrowed as he stood in the mouth of the alley and glared at the men. Rhyme turned to look at him, her eyes wide. Both men turned around as well, the one with the gun pointing the gun at him.

"What do you want, pretty boy?!?" asked the man with the gun.

"…Let go of her…" said Joshua, glaring at him.

The man smirked and pulled the trigger. Joshua didn't even smirk, blue light surrounding the bullet as it slowed down and fell harmlessly to the ground at his feet. The men's eyes widened and the first man let go of Rhyme. She fell to her knees on the ground, watching him with wide eyes and tears going down her cheeks. Joshua took a step forward, and the men backed up, the one with the gun firing another shot. It sped towards him then slowed down again, clattering to the ground.

"Is that all?" asked Joshua, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "…My turn then."

He closed his eyes and levitated into the air, his arms spread out as two blue beams fell down from the sky on each of the men. They screamed as bright light illuminated the area. When the light faded and Joshua touched down on the ground again, both of them were lying on the ground, unconscious. Rhyme was sitting on her knees on the ground between them, watching him with wide eyes. He walked slowly over to her and extended a hand. She stared up at him and took it, and he pulled her to her feet.

"A…Are they…are they…" began Rhyme.

"Dead?" asked Joshua, glaring at the bodies of the men. Seeing them on the ground like that did nothing to stop his anger or the sudden rush of hatred and disgust he felt when looking at them. "No. They're alive. I won't have the likes of them running around _my_ Underground. I hope they crawl somewhere else to die."

There was more malice in his voice than even he intended, and Rhyme said nothing, still staring at him. He glanced at her, frowning as he saw the red marks around her neck from where he grabbed her.

"…Did they hurt you?" he asked.

"N-No…" said Rhyme, raising a hand to her neck and rubbing at the red marks, "…N-Not yet…I…"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out by a sob, and Joshua waited as she took a deep breath to compose herself, continuing to stare at him. "…I knew you would come…" she said, "I…wasn't supposed to but I…I hoped…"

He didn't reply, looking at her with a serious expression on his face and in his violet eyes. Then, he turned away, glancing at the men again. They would be out for a long while, more than enough time for him to get far away from the area, then tip off the police. From the little he had seen of their minds, they had been wanted for a very long time, and the prison wasn't under his jurisdiction. They could die there for all he cared.

He noticed that Rhyme was still crying, using the long sleeves of her coat to try frantically to wipe her tears away. He sighed.

"…I'll walk you home," he said, turning and walking down the alley. Rhyme nodded, following him. He turned towards her as they walked. "Find something to tell your family, because I'm dropping you off at the door from now on."

"Y-Yeah…" said Rhyme, not even bothering to argue.

He frowned and looked at her. She had died twice and come back both times, and this was the first time he had ever seen her so afraid. He remembered the look in her eyes when she saw him…the briefest flicker of surprise and hope showing up behind the fear. Her words echoed in his mind as they walked down the street, Rhyme sobbing softly once in a while as she tried to compose herself.

"…_Joshua…" _

"…_I knew you would come…" _

"I don't know how I'm going to thank you for this…" said Rhyme, turning to face him.

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at her. She was smiling at him, although her face was still tear-streaked and another pair of fresh tears were making their way down her cheeks. He waved a hand dismissively.

"Don't," he said, continuing to walk.

He thought back to his earlier problem, an idea suddenly striking him. He stopped walking and Rhyme stopped as well, turning around to face him with a questioning look on her face. He looked at her, his smirk returning to his face for the first time since he had left the car to follow her.

"…Although…if you really want to thank me," he said, "…There is one thing…"

**Review Responses: **

**Samurai Ryo: **Thank you! I really intend to keep writing. I'm really glad that you liked it. Hopefully I can get a good chapter up tomorrow as well.

**TwiliHime33: **Haha, thanks! I'm glad you liked it, and I'm glad you liked the plot. I only have a few basic ideas as to Rhyme's powers, but hopefully that will clear up in time, depending on what themes I get next. By the way, the outcome of the favor that Joshua asked Rhyme for is going to depend on what theme I get, so hope I get a good one xD. And here's something just for you.

Kaito: …Cute is not exactly a word I like being used to describe me .

Star: Oh, loosen up. *pokes Kaito and giggles* Sorry, he's our resident emo.

Chizu: Yeah, Neku took lessons from him *laughs*

Star: Kitaniji also took evil lessons from him *giggles*

Kaito: . And Star gave Joshua lessons.

Star: No I didn't, that's just an unfair statement based on the fact that I'm smart, random, and giggle a lot.

Chizu: And the evil plans. Don't forget the evil plans. And…hey…anyone seen Suzume?

Suzume: *ninja vanished*

Chizu: She has got to teach me that ninja vanishing act.

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Thanks, I'm glad you liked the chapter. And yeah, haha, it was probably obvious to Mr. H right away what was on Joshua's mind. And I'm trying to keep up the pace of updating because I'm a little afraid that if I slow down, I'll stop entirely, haha. It's happened to me before. Thanks for reading and reviewing and I hope you liked this one! ^__^

**Vixen's Shadow: **

Kaito: …Silver Crescent17 says thank you for the review and…*glances at Crys, sighs, and shakes her hand*…Why am I the one doing this?

Star: Because you're a gentleman, remember? Plus you're the universal chew toy. Hi, Crys and everyone! ^__^ I'm Star. My real name is too long to type out.

Kaito: Gentleman? It's not my fault Silver only made one guy character . And where's Yamamura anyway?

Chizu: *comes out of the kitchen with a slice of cake* Huh? Did you ask for me, Kaito?

Kaito: Isn't that my ca…*facepalm* Oh, never mind.


	8. Memory

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **And the plot starts ^__^.

**Theme 10: Memory**

"Please tell me this isn't Pegaso," said Rhyme.

Joshua smirked at her. "If I said it was, would you be more, or less comfortable?"

"Less," answered Rhyme.

Joshua's smirk grew wider. "Then I won't say it."

Rhyme let out what sounded like an 'eep'. Joshua smirked at her. He had to admit that she cleaned up nicely. She was standing in the doorway of one of the guest rooms, looking down at the floor. She was dressed in a simple red dress that fit her slender frame much better than the boys' clothes that she was constantly wearing. The maids had applied some light make-up on her face, and, although they weren't able to do much with her short blond hair, had managed to make it look a little more feminine. They had also given her a clip with red flowers on it, and had found a necklace somewhere for her to wear.

It was probably the first time Joshua had actually seen her look like a girl when she wasn't wearing her school uniform. He, on the other hand, was dressed in a suit from Pegaso Atelier.

He could hear the sounds of other guests arriving from down the hall. His father had arrived a few days ago, and, of course, the moment after he greeted Joshua, his first question was whether or not his son would be bringing a guest to the party his father was hosting. He had anticipated this and prepared for it in advance…by asking Rhyme to accompany him that night he had walked her home. She agreed, but evidently she was just discovering exactly what he meant by asking her to "attend a party with him".

"…Joshua, I'm not so sure about this…" she said.

"Relax," said Joshua, smirking, "It's only for a few hours. I just need to bring someone so that my father can stop dropping hints about it and we don't need to speak of this again. Besides, you look nice."

Rhyme turned pink and looked away. "But why me?" she asked, "Why not one of your classmates?"

"Well…" said Joshua, "Aside from the fact that the school I attend is a school for boys…let's just say I can actually stand your company. Now, come along or we'll be late."

Rhyme still looked unsure, but she nodded and followed him down the hallway. He noticed that she was wearing flat shoes. Probably for the best, since he didn't think she would be able to walk properly in heels, and since Beat had, rather loudly and obnoxiously, warned him that if anything happened to his sister, he would be in for "it" (a laughable concept, but still…), it was probably best that she wasn't in any danger of tripping and twisting her ankle. Rhyme had told her family about her newfound abilities since that night, but from what he heard from her, Neku and Shiki still didn't know and Beat had been sworn to secrecy.

The smirk was still on his face as he opened the door for Rhyme. The room on the other side was slowly filling with people, most of them adults and dressed in expensive clothes. Several round tables stood around the room, covered in white tablecloth with flower arrangements at the center of them. At one end of the room stood a long table which was beginning to fill with food. Maids walked around the room, easily noticeable in their black and white uniforms. Two chandeliers hung from the ceiling, lighting the room. It was like a scene from a fairytale.

Rhyme tensed and gulped. Joshua smirked and took her hand to lead her through the room. He felt Rhyme tense again.

"Nervous?" he asked, glancing back at her as they walked through the room towards one of the tables. A man in a suit sat at the table, his hair the same white color as Joshua's, although his eyes were brown. He was deeply engaged in conversation with another man, who was seated next to a woman in a bright green dress.

"A…A little," admitted Rhyme.

The white-haired man noticed them, turning away from the other man to face them as they approached.

"Ah, Joshua," he said. The man he was talking to also turned to face him.

"So this is Yoshiya," said the man, "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"Vice President Ikarashi, I presume," said Joshua, smirking and nodding. The man laughed and nodded.

"Yes, yes," he said, "I see your father has told you about me. This is my wife, Haruka."

"Have a seat, Joshua," said the white-haired man, "And introduce us to your friend, please."

Joshua nodded, pulling out a chair for Rhyme. She glanced at him nervously and sat down. He sat down beside her, then turned to the other two. "Father, Mr. Ikarashi, this is Raimu Bito. Rhyme, this is my father, Masayoshi Kiryu, and the vice president of his company, Satoshi Ikarashi."

"So you're Rhyme," said Masayoshi, smiling. "I've heard about you. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Kiryu," said Rhyme, looking up to face him.

Masayoshi smiled. "Now, where did my son meet such a lovely young lady?" he asked. Rhyme and Joshua exchanged glances.

"Um…" said Rhyme.

"It's a very long story," said Joshua.

"Well, whatever the case, you should bring her around more often, Joshua," said Masayoshi. He turned towards Rhyme. "So, tell me about yourself. Where do you go to school?"

"Um…I attend Shibuya High School," said Rhyme.

Out of the corner of his eye, Joshua saw Ikarashi and his wife exchange glances. Masayoshi, however, only smiled. "Oh, the high school?" he asked, "And you're only…thirteen?"

"…Fourteen, sir," replied Rhyme.

"Very interesting," said Masayoshi, "What are your plans for after high school, Rhyme?"

Although Rhyme smiled at his father, from where Joshua was sitting, he thought he saw her twitch. "Well, I'm hoping I can get a scholarship to a university," said Rhyme, "And after that, well, we'll see."

"Well, I wish you luck with that," said Masayoshi, "From what I've heard of you, it shouldn't be too hard for you to accomplish."

She smiled and closed her eyes. Joshua frowned. From what Mr. Hanekoma had told him, Rhyme had her whole life planned out already until she played and lost the Reaper's Game, losing her entry fee—her dreams and aspirations—forever. He felt a sudden pang and his frown deepened for a moment. He had no reason to be feeling bad about that. He did not kill her, nor did he have anything to do with her while she was still in the Game. Besides, she was alive and young. She could have more dreams.

More people came by to talk to his father, and after a while Rhyme fell silent. Dinner was served after that, and Joshua noticed that she was watching him carefully as he ate, following his lead. He realized he had forgotten to remind her to do that earlier. Thankfully, Rhyme managed to think of it herself. A little later, people started getting up from their tables and moving around. Joshua glanced at Rhyme, noticing that she was starting to look more and more uncomfortable with each person that came over, and discreetly excused himself and her. He led her over to a door that opened into a balcony. Rhyme stepped onto the balcony, letting out a sigh of relief.

"How are you holding up?" asked Joshua, smirking at her.

"Is it always like this?" asked Rhyme, turning towards him, "…Everyone watching you like that, I mean…"

"Ah," said Joshua, placing his hand on the marble railing of the balcony as he smirked at her. "You've noticed Mr. and Mrs. Ikarashi. Yes, seem rather…snobbish."

"I noticed…" said Rhyme, "I think they almost fell out of their seats when I mentioned where I went to school."

Joshua chuckled. "Just wait until they see your older brother, then," he said. "Anyway, many of the people that attend these events are like that. It's the same every time. Usually, it's rather boring."

"Your father seems nice, though," said Rhyme, smiling.

"Ah, yes," said Joshua, smirking at her. "Some people wonder how we're related."

"You can be nice too, Joshua," she said, smiling at him.

He didn't answer, listening to the sound of conversation and soft music coming from the room below. Rhyme smiled, looking out over the gardens. Winter was already starting to end, and tonight was actually rather warm. Spring would be coming soon, and with it, a change of school years. He debated for a moment whether to ask if Beat would be classmates with Rhyme next year, but decided against it.

"You don't remember them at all?" asked Joshua. When Rhyme turned towards him, he smirked. "Your dreams?"

Rhyme frowned, then shook her head. "No," she said, "Mr. H said that that part of my memory is gone forever. I remember I was working for a scholarship…I don't remember what I was going to do with it, but…" she sighed. "It's better than being dead. And I can always come up with a new dream."

Joshua nodded. Rhyme turned her head and looked back into the room, watching as the people passed by. He watched her, noticing that she was frowning.

"Joshua…?" she asked, "Who is that man?"

Joshua followed her gaze, his eyes landing on a man that was leaning against the wall. He had dark hair and was dressed in a suit, making it easy for him to blend in. Unlike everyone else, though, he wasn't talking to anyone, and most people were passing him by, as if they didn't notice him.

"I'm not sure…" said Joshua, "Why do you ask?"

Rhyme frowned. "He seems…familiar…" she said, "But I can't remember where I've seen him before…"

"It's probably nothing," said Joshua, frowning as well. Rhyme frowned.

A little later, Joshua glanced back at where the man was standing, but he was gone. The rest of the evening, he saw no sign of him. Later that night, after Rhyme had been dropped off and Joshua was back home, he asked if any of the maids knew him, but none of them had noticed him…

Joshua frowned and walked down the darkened hallways, checking his cellphone. He would have called Mr. Hanekoma about the subject, if it wasn't almost one in the morning. Instead, he sent the Producer a text message, with a note that said he would call first thing in the morning. He didn't think there was that much to worry about, but he had to admit that the man's behavior had been odd. He was heading back to his room to sleep when he noticed that the door to his father's study was open, and there was a light inside. He walked over to the door and opened it, seeing his father sitting in the couch with a laptop in front of him.

"Not going to sleep yet?" asked Joshua, his smirk coming back onto his face.

Masayoshi smiled. "Not yet. I just have a few things to finish up. Your girlfriend seems nice. You have good taste."

"You're mistaken," said Joshua, "She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh?" asked Masayoshi, "According to the maids, she comes over a lot, though…Is there something I should know about?"

"No," said Joshua, "Nothing like that. I'm going to sleep. Good night."

"Good night, Joshua," said Masayoshi, watching as Joshua closed the door and began walking to his room again.

**Review Responses: **

**Samurai Ryo: **Haha, thanks! I'm glad you liked it, and yes, Go Joshua! xD. Here's another cliffhanger for you xD.

**TwiliHime33: **Thank you, I'm glad you like it. I'm also glad that it wasn't too dark, I was a little worried about that when I was planning it out. And thanks, I'm glad you like my RPC's. They run around an RP site I'm on that I really should be posting to, haha. If you want the link, I'll be glad to pass it on ^__^

Kaito: *twitches at being called cute*

Suzume: Well…um…Asakawa-senpai…you do kind of seem like a bishounen…

Chizu: Yeah, *laughs* Remember when Yu caught on to you?

Star: That was so much fun~ *giggles*

Kaito: . *sigh*

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Yeah, xD. It's getting a little hard to keep up that fast pace, but I'm trying my hardest not to slow down, because I actually want to FINISH something (very seldom finishes). Actually it's **Synchronicity **that's really slowing me down, but I'm trying not to give up on either project (even though the themes for that one are so much harder than these themes). And yes, haha, Joshua saves the day!

**Vixen's Shadow: **

Kaito: …Silver says the usual…thank you for the review…and Kat, thank you for the offer, but I think I'll be fine… .

Chizu: Yeah, he has a girlfriend who can cook for him, haha.

Kaito: *twitch* For the last time…she is not my girlfriend.

Chizu: Anyway, some of us know what it's like to lose track of relatives, but not me or Kaito.

Kaito: …Yeah, our families are dead…mostly because of the other person's family…

Chizu: *nod, nod* But Suzume shares your pain. She has that whole ninja clan to keep track of…

Suzume: That's supposed to be a secret!

Chizu: But it's so OBVIOUS!

Star: *closes curtain on the three of them* Anyway, there's a reason for Rhyme knowing it was Josh, so just sit tight~.

**Rebel of my Destiny: **Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I was just reminded of that scene at the end of the game where Neku's memory was revealed, so I guess that explains most of the gun action. Here's another update just for you! ^__^

**romeaddict: **Haha, I'm Filipino but Spanish by blood, so I can relate. I'm glad you like the story, and yeah, Pinoys are everywhere, haha. I'm living in the US now, and the area I'm in doesn't have many foreigners, but I still saw one car with a Philippine flag one day xD.


	9. Hidden

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Too much plot, not enough fluff XD. I think I'll try and add in a bit of fluff next chapter, depending on what theme I get stuck with. Also, this chapter is a little late, and **Synchronicity **might not get its daily update, depending on what I can come up with in the next two hours or so…

**Theme 13: Hidden**

_She was running…_

…_The bridge was alive with light, colors of red, blue, and green lighting up the area. It was dark, and even though there were many cars on the bridge, they were moving through her, as if she didn't see her at all. To her, the bridge might as well have been empty. Her eyes were wide open and she was panting, but whether she was running towards something or away from something, she couldn't tell. _

_She suddenly stopped…_

…_Two people were standing at the highest point of the bridge, facing each other. One of them had black hair, the other, white. Both of them turned towards her as she arrived. She saw the black-haired man first, his eyes a brilliant green color as he watched her. Then, the white-haired boy turned towards her, looking at her with deep violet eyes. _

…_Her world stood still for a moment, the rest of the scenery swirling around the three of them as she clasped her hands together, the colors bleeding out as the world became white. _

"…_Joshua…" _

…_A single drop of water fell to the ground, the resulting splash much louder than anything she had ever heard…_

…_There was a scream…_

"Rhyme!"

Rhyme sat up in bed suddenly with a gasp. She was in her room, sitting in bed. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was around 4 in the morning. She placed a hand on her face, suddenly feeling wetness. Tears? Had she been crying? Beat sat down on her bed in front of her, turning to face her.

"You alright?" he asked, "You was talking in your sleep, so I figured something was going on."

Rhyme took a deep breath and shook her head. "Just…just a bad dream," she said, smiling at Beat. "I'm fine, _nii-chan_."

"A'ight," said Beat, ruffling her hair, "But if something scares you or whatever, you come straight to me, got it?"

Rhyme giggled, nodding. "Yes, _nii-chan_," she said.

Beat glanced at her one last time, then got up and closed the room. Rhyme sighed, falling back onto her bed and pulling the blanket over her. She picked up her phone from beside her bed, glancing at the screen. 4:03 AM. That would mean that she woke up at exactly…4AM. Rhyme shivered slightly. Somehow, knowing that didn't make it feel right.

_Four is death…_

She shook her head, pillowing her head on her arm as she looked at her phone again. That was just a silly superstition. She remembered the last few chaotic moments of her dream and shivered again, opening to the New Message screen. Joshua was probably asleep now, but still…

**r u awake? **

She placed her phone beside her bed again and sighed, closing her eyes. She was just about to fall asleep when she heard _Calling _by Leah start to play softly. Rhyme opened her eyes, quickly picking up her phone and answering it before the ringing could get any louder. She pulled her blanket over her head to muffle her voice so she wouldn't wake up the rest of the family. On the other end of the line, she heard Joshua's voice.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked teasingly.

Rhyme smiled. "Bad dream," she replied, keeping her voice down, "What about you?"

"Thinking too much," he replied. For a moment, Rhyme had a picture of him leaning against the wall by the big window in his room, looking out in the garden while talking to her. "What sort of bad dream?"

"It was about that man at the party," she said, "I can't really remember most of the dream…just a little bit."

"Then we're thinking about the same thing…" She heard Joshua pause for a moment.

"Do you think there was something up with him?" she asked. Joshua didn't answer for a while. When he did, it sounded like he was trying to pick his words.

"…In and of itself…it was probably an odd coincidence," he said, "But…each UG stands apart from the others. They don't…interact and they don't meddle with each other…so when a Reaper from one UG crosses over to another as suddenly as what happened a few weeks ago…it's probably best to err on the side of caution…"

"That Reaper that was spreading Taboo Noise?" asked Rhyme.

"Yeah…" said Joshua. There was another long pause, and when Joshua spoke again, Rhyme thought she could actually _hear _his smirk. "…Interested in joining me for lunch later?"

"W-What?!?" she asked, a little louder than she intended. The heat rose to her face and her heartbeat sped up. She tensed, hearing rustling noises from the other side of the wall where Beat's bedroom was, but when she didn't hear footsteps, she relaxed.

"Let's just say I'm thinking of doing a little reconnaissance," said Joshua, "The Reaper that was spreading Taboo Noise was assigned to the Minato UG. I'd go by myself, but four eyes are better than two, and besides, it's Saturday. No one will look twice at a pair of teenagers walking around."

"…O-Okay…" said Rhyme, calming down, "So…I'll meet you at Hachiko?"

"10AM," said Joshua. She pulled the phone away, about to hang up, but then she heard Joshua's voice. "Oh, and Rhyme, one more thing…"

"Yes?" she asked.

"…Come dressed as a girl," he said, his tone becoming teasing for a moment before the line went dead. Rhyme sighed and stared at the phone, then placed it beside her again.

* * *

Joshua glanced at himself in the mirror before making his way towards the car. Dressed in his usual white shirt and jeans, he could pass for any ordinary teenage boy. That was good, ordinary was what he was going for. Although if the Reapers of Shibuya couldn't even recognize him for who he was, he doubted that any Reaper in Minato would. Just in case, he had deleted any text message regarding the UG from his cellphone, and in order to avoid using his powers unnecessarily, had removed most of the money from his wallet, leaving himself with the amount he assumed a normal teenage boy would have on a Saturday afternoon.

"Joshua…" said a voice from behind him.

Joshua resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He turned his head to see his father standing in the doorframe of his study, watching him. He placed his hand in the pocket of his jeans, turning around to face his father.

"Going somewhere?" his father asked.

"Out," said Joshua, "I should be back before it gets too late."

"With Rhyme?" asked Masayoshi.

"And if I am?" asked Joshua. Masayoshi frowned.

"It isn't something to get so defensive about," he said, "I just asked you a question. Although it does make me wonder exactly why you're going out with a girl who you've told me you aren't interested in."

Joshua smirked. "Would you believe me if I said we were studying?"

Masayoshi raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't think so," said Joshua. "I won't be out late."

He turned and continued walking down the hallway.

* * *

"So, what are we looking for, exactly?" asked Rhyme, sitting across the table from Joshua.

They were sitting at a table outside a café near Shiba Park. Rhyme was dressed in a pink, long-sleeved version of the red shirt she always wore, with a white skull and crossbones instead of black. She remembered that Shiki had pressured her to buy it a few months ago, but she had never worn it. She also wore dark-colored jeans and her usual hat.

Joshua turned away from watching the people in the park across the street, turning to face her. "Anything out of the ordinary," he replied.

Rhyme sighed. So much for "_exactly_". She glanced around, trying to look for any pair of black wings she could find. It probably wouldn't do her much good if they were in the RG, but at the very least it was better than nothing. From where they were sitting, she caught sight of five Reapers.

"Must be a busy day…" she said.

Joshua nodded. "Or a Game," he said, "After all Shiba Park is probably to Minato what the scramble is to Shibuya…" He glanced at his phone. "Hmm…the signal's weak, but it's definitely stronger than it was when we got off the train."

Rhyme frowned. "That's the tracker, right?" she asked. "The one Mr. H installed on your phone?" The waitress arrived, placing their food down in front of them. Joshua waited for her to leave before answering. He nodded.

"He wants to place one in your phone too, by the way," said Joshua, smirking slightly, "In case this becomes a regular habit." He took a bite out of his meal. Rhyme did the same.

"…I've also been meaning to ask you," said Joshua, "…While you were playing, what pin did you use?"

Rhyme paused for a moment, picking up her drink and taking a sip out of it so that anyone watching would know that was why she wasn't answering right away. She noticed that Joshua glanced to the right when he spoke. She chanced a quick glance in that direction as well. A man was sitting at a table alone, dressed in a dark coat with a cap worn so that it obscured his face.

"I used Black Nova from Wild Boar," said Rhyme, "But…Tin Pin wasn't really my game."

"Well, if you're interested, you could start playing again," said Joshua, "We could practice, if you like…"

Joshua glanced towards the man again as Rhyme continued eating. She made a quick response about being busy with school, and the conversation turned to a perfectly normal one about studies. After a while, the man stood up and left. Joshua and Rhyme exchanged glances, both of them getting up a few moments later.

They walked a few feet behind him, lost in the crowd. The man walked ahead of them, his hands in his pockets. Rhyme stared at him, suddenly feeling the same thing she felt when she saw the man at the party. He seemed…familiar, somehow, although she couldn't remember where she had seen him before. Perhaps he was the same person? Joshua suddenly grabbed her hand, snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned pink, turning towards him.

"J-Joshua…what…?" she asked.

Joshua glanced at the man for a moment, then back at her. Rhyme took a deep breath to calm herself down. She wasn't sure that she understood, but she remembered exactly what they were doing.

"Something on your mind?" he asked, smirking slightly.

Rhyme shook her head. "I just keep seeing our friend everywhere," she said.

"Are you sure it was him?" he asked, "Maybe it was just someone else from his school."

"I'm…pretty sure," said Rhyme.

"Maybe he has a girl he's meeting?" asked Joshua, chuckling slightly. "It _is _Shiba Park after all."

Rhyme nodded. "It's possible…" she said.

The man suddenly took off, running down the streets. Joshua and Rhyme exchanged glances, then started chasing after him, pushing aside the people in their way. Joshua glanced back at Rhyme and a blue light surrounded them. The next thing both of them knew, they were moving through people instead of around them. If anyone noticed their sudden disappearance, nobody commented on it. Joshua held on to her wrist to keep from losing her in the crowd.

The man turned into one of the side streets. Joshua and Rhyme followed him through a twisted maze of back alleys, finally coming out onto one of the main streets again. Rhyme stopped to catch her breath. The road was starting to go uphill.

"…Where…?" she asked.

"There," said Joshua, pointing. The man was running up a long flight of steps. From where they stood, they couldn't see what was at the top of it.

"…I suppose stealth is useless now…" said Joshua. He kept his hand on her wrist, blue light surrounding them as they began levitating. Rhyme kept her eyes focused on the man as they flew above him. Joshua touched the ground again at the top of the steps.

They were at the top of what looked like a shrine. The man was running inside. Rhyme followed Joshua into the building, throwing the doors open as they entered. The interior of the shrine was quiet and empty, with no sign of the man. The odd feeling that Rhyme had been feeling since the café disappeared.

"…He's gone…" said Rhyme.

Joshua pulled out his phone, glancing at the tracker. "…Signal's gone as well," he said, "Whatever that man was doing…he's done."

Rhyme looked around.

"Atago Shrine…" she said, her voice echoing through the room.

"Hmm?" asked Joshua, closing his phone to face her.

"It's Atago Shrine," said Rhyme, "It used to be the highest point in Tokyo…" She glanced at the two depictions of _kami _inside the shrine. "…The fire god, _Homusubi no Mikoto,_" she said, pointing at one, "This place used to protect Tokyo from shrines."

Joshua frowned, looking around. "That would make this…the water god, _Mizuhanome no Mikoto…" _he said, pointing, "And the mountain god…_Oyamazumi no Mikoto_…"

"You've read about it?" asked Rhyme. Joshua smirked at her in response, before turning back towards the figures and raising his hand to his mouth as if he was deep in thought.

"…There is nothing strange about this shrine…" said Joshua, "At least…nothing that's showing up on the tracker. I'm not sure how well this works outside of Shibuya. So if that man led us here…what's he hiding?"

…_Led us here…_

"Do you think he led us here?" asked Rhyme, looking around, "To Atago Shrine?"

"It's possible," said Joshua. "He knew we were chasing him, and if he could just disappear, why didn't he do it before now?"

"…Makes sense…" said Rhyme. She looked around. "…In the past, this place had a great view of Tokyo…" She shivered, suddenly feeling cold. "…I have a bad feeling about this…"

"Hmm…" said Joshua. "Well, whatever it is, we've learned all we can here. Let's head back to Shibuya. I want to talk to Mr. H."

"Mm…" said Rhyme, nodding. She turned around as they left, glancing at the shrine again and looking over the view of Tokyo, now obscured by tall buildings around the area. She sighed, putting a smile on her face as she followed Joshua down the steps.

…There were too many hidden things…

**Review Responses: **

**Samurai Ryo: **Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Here's another chapter, you have no idea how close this chapter came to being late xD. Here you go! ^__^

**TwiliHime33: **Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! Check your email, I sent you a link. And I'm soooo sorry about this one being late. I did my best, but it was just too long, haha. I think the chapters might get longer from here on out because I'll be trying to mix plot with romance, so…I might not be able to keep up with my one chapter a day thing. Maybe once every two days…? Anyway, I'll do my best!

**Vixen's Shadow: **Sorry for the short response, my characters ran off for a bit XD Anyway, just remember that Masayoshi's related to Josh, haha. So maybe he didn't take it at face value at all.

**Rebel of my Destiny: **Thank you for the review, I'm glad you like it. Hopefully this just adds more mystery to the whole "man in the party" thing xD. And, yeah, Ikarashi has that high class attitude. I might add him in…a little later xD.


	10. Remember Part I

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: ***looks over last chapter* *shudders* Sooo many mistakes. Um, aside from the mistakes that **Tsukikari Kitsune** pointed out, I wonder if anyone noticed the line where Rhyme said "This place used to protect them from shrines"? I meant "fires". It protected them from fires .

Anyway, deciding to cut this chapter in half so I can keep up my daily update ^__^ Hope you guys like it.

**Theme 12: Remember (Part I) **

…_Same dream, same bridge, same lights…_

…_She was running again. Her eyes were wide open and she was nearly out of breath. In her hand, she was holding a pin, the cold metal biting into her skin…_

_She suddenly stopped…_

…_Two people were standing at the highest point of the bridge, facing each other. One of them had black hair, the other, white. Both of them turned towards her as she arrived. She saw the black-haired man first, his eyes a brilliant green color as he watched her. Then, the white-haired boy turned towards her, looking at her with deep violet eyes. _

…_Her world stood still for a moment, the rest of the scenery swirling around the three of them as she clasped her hands together, the colors bleeding out as the world became white. _

"…_Joshua…" _

…_A single drop of water fell to the ground, its descent slowed for just a moment…looking closer at it, she realized that it was red…_

…_There was a scream…_

…_Suddenly the world became quiet again, and she was standing in the middle of nothing but white. Her eyes were closed as the world around her spun, flashes of sound and color coming at her from all sides…_

…_She was floating…_

_A hand descended over her eyes, lightly holding them closed. She could hear flashes of sound…a woman's voice in the distance, then a man's, her brother's voice…Joshua's voice, Neku's voice…_

"…_Do you remember?" _

Rhyme awoke with a start.

She took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling of her room. Rhyme turned her head, glancing at the clock beside her bed. 4:00 AM exactly. With a groan, she turned on her side, pulled the blanket up to her neck and went back to sleep…

* * *

Three green frogs jumped around her on all sides, one of them jumping towards her. Rhyme frowned, quickly dashing out of the way. The three frogs turned to face her. She glanced at the pin in her clenched fist. It was a black pin, with a gold star on it that resembled graffiti. She jumped back, holding the pin tighter and closing her eyes, placing her hands near her head. Rhyme felt herself begin to levitate off the ground as bright light struck one of the frogs repeatedly. There was a flash as that frog disappeared. She quickly opened her eyes, touching down on the ground again as she moved, levitating into the air and staying in place for a moment as she hit another frog repeatedly, erasing it. The last frog hit her in the air, throwing her down for a moment. She shouted, pushing it off her and jumping back. Rhyme dashed to the other side, doing the same with that frog. A pin flew out of it, circling her as the area around her faded, and she was standing in Joshua's living room once again. She stared at the 100 yen pin in her hand.

"Hmm…not bad," said Joshua, "You use a Holy Light pin, don't you?"

"Yeah," said Rhyme, looking down at the pin in her hand, "I know it's not a very good psych, but…"

"It does its job," finished Joshua. He frowned for a moment, then smirked and shrugged. "I guess it will have to do," he said. "That's enough practice for today, Rhyme."

Rhyme nodded, glancing at the clock. It was already starting to get late, and the sun was beginning to set outside the window. A blue light surrounded her as she and Joshua both appeared in the RG again. He walked over to the couch and sat down. After a moment of hesitation, Rhyme sat down next to him.

"Any news?" she asked.

"I talked to Mr. H about that time in Minato," said Joshua, "He says he has a few ideas. I'll be meeting him at WildKat after I drop you off." He wasn't looking at her as he spoke, instead looking straight in front of him. Rhyme watched him. She couldn't remember ever seeing Joshua this…bothered about something. In all the time she had known him, he always seemed to have the situation under control. It was…slightly unnerving.

"…I can…" she said, taking a deep breath, "…I can go to WildKat too…I want to help."

"...Do you?" asked Joshua, turning towards her.

Rhyme's eyes widened as Joshua's eyes met hers. He was watching her now with an unreadable expression on his face. There was no smirk on his face, no hidden motive in his eyes, no sarcasm in his tone. He kept his eyes on her, and she felt her heart begin to pound faster in her chest, a knot beginning to form in her throat as the heat rose to her face. He placed a hand on her cheek, the tips of his fingers brushing against her blond hair as he leaned forward…Rhyme tensed, unable to pull away…

"Master Joshua, your father has arrived," came a feminine voice from the doorway.

Both Joshua and Rhyme returned to reality, and Joshua pulled away, almost reluctantly. By the time Masayoshi Kiryu walked in through the door, Joshua was leaning back against the couch, a book in his hand as Rhyme furiously scribbled away at her homework, her face a deep red.

* * *

Rhyme bent over the porcelain sink, splashing warm water onto her face. She had quickly excused herself to go to the bathroom. She straightened up, picking up a towel from the marble countertop and wiping her face with it. Rhyme stared at her reddened face in the mirror, taking a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. She thought back to that scene in the living room. If Masayoshi hadn't arrived when he did…what would have happened? Would they have…?

She turned an even deeper shade of red, scrubbing her face vigorously with the towel.

Rhyme suddenly felt a chill creep up her spine and paused, keeping her face in the towel. She thought she felt someone behind her…Her breath caught in her throat as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

…"_Do you remember?" _

She opened her eyes, looking up into the mirror. Rhyme gasped. Behind her, she could see the vague outline of a dark-haired figure. The figure stared at her, his eyes a bright green color. Rhyme turned around to face him, but he was gone.

Rhyme stood still for one moment, staring at the spot where he had been. She placed a hand on her face, closing her eyes for a moment. Had she just been imagining things? She drew in a slow, shaky breath and shook her head. Whatever was there…it was gone now. She closed her eyes tighter, the image of that scene on the bridge suddenly flashing into her mind. Rhyme placed the towel back onto the countertop and left the bathroom.

"Ready to go?" asked Joshua, smirking at her from the hallway as he flipped his phone shut.

"Yeah," said Rhyme, smiling. At least Joshua was back to normal, even if the rest of the world was still spiraling wildly out of control. Joshua led her towards the door. She felt like asking what he had talked about with his father, but decided against it. He was already back to normal. It was probably best not to do anything that might upset that.

"Nori's on duty in the UG," said Joshua, "So I hope you don't mind if we walk to WildKat."

"I don't mind," said Rhyme, smiling.

She was used to walking everywhere, and WildKat wasn't too far from where Joshua lived. It was a little far from where she lived, but…it wasn't far enough that she couldn't make it back tonight. The two of them walked past the gates and onto the streets. People passed them on all sides, most of them done up to the nines in one brand or another. She shivered, unable to shake off the feeling of being watched.

"Cold?" asked Joshua, smirking at her.

"No…it's just…" began Rhyme.

"Finally found a boyfriend, Kiryu?" asked a voice.

Rhyme looked up. They were walking right past Cadoi City, and a group of three boys were walking towards them, dressed in the same school uniform that she had seen Joshua wear. She tensed, but Joshua only smirked, completely nonchalant.

"Jealous, Ikarashi?" he asked, sweeping his hair back with a flourish. For a moment, Rhyme thought she saw the other boy turn red in the face, his fists clenching. He glanced at Rhyme.

"Oh, wait, it's a girl," he said, "Sorry, _miss_, didn't notice. I didn't know you liked to spend time with trash, Kiryu…"

Rhyme's eyes widened at his words, and she bit her lip. Joshua folded his arms, pressing one of his hands against his cheek as his smirk grew wider.

"You would know all about trash, wouldn't you, Ikarashi, seeing as your father is heading to Dogenzaka with one of them right now," he said.

This time, Rhyme was sure that the other boy turned almost purple. His eyes widened, his fists clenching even tighter.

"Shut up, Kiryu or I'll…"

"Or you'll what?" asked Joshua, smirking, "Care to enlighten me?"

"I'll…" said the boy. He stamped his foot on the ground, glaring at Joshua.

"That's right," said Joshua, "…My family is the reason you can even attend this school, Ikarashi. Keep that in mind." He turned towards Rhyme. "Let's go, Rhyme."

Rhyme took one last look at Ikarashi before following Joshua down the street. Ikarashi glared at them as they left.

"This isn't over, Kiryu!" he said, "Someday, my father will be running the show, and then I'll be the one laughing!"

"Someday…Ikarashi…" Rhyme heard Joshua mutter once they were out of earshot, "You'll be dead, and I'll be the one laughing…"

Rhyme shivered again, and this time she was sure it wasn't the cold. Joshua glanced at her, a small smirk appearing on his face as they walked towards Towa Records. For a moment, she remembered exactly who she was walking with—the Composer of Shibuya, and Neku's killer…

…For a moment, she was reminded of how scary Joshua could be.

There was a sudden flash of light, a woman's laugh echoing through the surrounding area. Rhyme looked around, her eyes wide. A woman appeared in front of them, black wings on her back. She folded her arms and smirked at them. Her hair was a deep blue color, and she was dressed in a light blue dress. Her nails were long and blue, dotted with rhinestones, and she wore a necklace with blue stones set in the pendant. She looked like a mannequin Rhyme had seen in the window of Pavo Real.

"I've found you!" she said.

The next thing Rhyme knew, there was another flash, and they were floating in darkness. She stood on a spinning triangular platform of light, and Joshua stood on another one, both platforms drifting further and further away.

"Joshua!" said Rhyme, her eyes widening as she extended her hand towards him, doing the first thing that came to mind…

…For a moment, it seemed like the distance between them closed as blue light surrounded them, both of them circling each other with their eyes closed. Then, their eyes opened, and they were suddenly drifting away from each other again, standing alone on their platforms of light in the darkness…

* * *

**Review Responses: **

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Haha, thanks for pointing all of that out. Last chapter was really rushed, and I think the part that I read over that I really felt stupid about was the part about the "this shrine protects them from shrines". An anti-shrine shrine perhaps, haha? Anyway, I'll be slowing down so I can keep the quality up, and also so I can keep working on some things in my actual life, but I'll do my best to keep the updates daily, they just might be smaller than usual.

**TwiliHime33: **Thanks, I'm glad you liked Rhyme's dream! And yes, chapters might start slowing down because this is going to be a busy week for me, but I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't slow down too much. Watch Rhyme's dreams very carefully, haha. They aren't all the same, even though they look like it.

**romeaddict: **Yep, everyone loves Filipinos, haha. That's why most Filipinos are a mix of something. It's so hard nowadays to find a pureblooded Filipino. And I'm glad you liked the chapter! ^__^

**Rebel of my Destiny: **Thanks, glad you liked it! Here's a little more mystery for you in this half a chapter, as well as a cliffhanger, xD. Next half of the chapter should come up tomorrow, if all goes well. I need to get my life back on track, so updating might be a little slow this week.


	11. Remember Part II

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **And here's the second part of the chapter! Enjoy! ^__^ Update to **Synchronicity **coming later tonight.

**Theme 12: Remember (Part II) **

Rhyme looked around in all directions, eyes wide. Beyond her platform of light, there was darkness. She couldn't see any sign of Joshua, or of that blue-haired girl. She quickly pulled the Black Nova pin out of her pocket, holding it tightly in her right hand.

"…_Stay focused, Rhyme," _said Joshua's voice.

"Joshua?!?" asked Rhyme, looking around, "Where are you?!? What happened?!?"

"…_I'm right here, and as for what happened, you should know, since you helped yourself…" _

"What?" asked Rhyme, "What do you—."

She fell silent. That blue light earlier…did that mean that she and Joshua…?

"…_Here it comes." _

There was a sudden screech from above her, and Rhyme jumped back just in time as a giant blue eagle swooped down from above, its claws scraping the platform before it pulled up again. Rhyme's eyes narrowed and she closed her hand around the pin, feeling herself begin to float into the air as she found her target. She placed her hands on the side of her head, focusing on the eagle as it came in for another strike. Her heart beat quickly in her chest as she closed her eyes, light striking the eagle over and over again and knocking it back. When the light stopped, she bent her knees as she fell to the ground, quickly rolling out of the way as the eagle came in for another strike. A blue orb of light left her, floating upwards and disappearing into the darkness.

Joshua, meanwhile, raised his hand, a blue beam of light coming down from above towards the blue-haired woman. She jumped out of the way, her nails extending into claws as she charged at him. Joshua moved out of the way, summoning three beams of light in quick succession as the blue orb of light rose up from below, surrounding him. Two of the beams hit, and the woman ran towards Joshua, slashing at him with her claws. Her claws cut through the fabric of his shirt, lightly grazing his upper arm. He raised his hand, palm facing her, and a four quick beams of light struck her, the last one knocking her back. The blue orb left him, heading back down.

"Your turn, Rhyme…" he said, smirking as the puck left.

Rhyme jumped out of the way as the eagle swept in for another attack, closing her eyes as she felt the pin reappear in her hand. She got a few hits in before the eagle came in, tossing her backwards as its claws pierced her. She jumped back, panting slightly as the puck came back to her. Rhyme dashed to the other side of the platform as the eagle swept down, closing her eyes and sending another barrage of light at the eagle. She jumped back onto the ground as the blue light left her.

"Joshua, back to you," she said.

Light left Joshua's hand, heading towards the woman as she attempted to charge at him again. A blue barrier surrounded her, making most of the light go around it. He sent another blast of light at it and the barrier shattered, throwing the woman back as the light puck shot up from below, circling around his hand. A platform of darkness formed underneath the woman's feet and she jumped forward, claws outstretched. Several blue orbs surrounded Joshua, heading towards the woman and hitting her quickly. The light puck left him, heading back towards Rhyme.

The eagle suddenly picked up speed, striking Rhyme from all angles as it bounced around the dark space. Rhyme screamed, the force of the blows bringing her up to the air for a moment before making her crash back down onto the ground. She fell on her knees on the ground, her left hand clutching her right arm as the puck arrived, circling her. Rhyme took in a shaky breath, then closed her eyes, targeting the eagle again. Light hit it one after another, and when she finished, the puck left her, moving back upwards. Rhyme fell back onto her knees on the ground, staring at the puck in her hand.

"…Finish it, Joshua," she said.

"…Mm," said Joshua, nodding as he received the puck.

Joshua smirked and levitated into the air, twin beams of light crashing down from above as white light circled around them. The woman screamed and there was another flash of light. The next thing any of them knew, they were on the street outside of Towa Records. Rhyme was still on her knees, holding her arm, and the woman was on the ground, glaring up at Joshua. His smirk grew wider.

"…Did you really think you could win?" asked Joshua.

"Hmph," said the woman, panting for breath as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. "I haven't lost…"

"Oh?" asked Joshua, "I'm not the one on the ground a few seconds from erasure."

The woman sneered at him. "You can't erase me. You call yourself the Composer of Shibuya but you're just a little puppy. Takako Matsuda. Remember my name. You'll hear it again."

She laughed as a deep blue light surrounded her. When the light faded, she was gone. Joshua stared at the spot where she had been for a few moments, before turning around and offering his hand to Rhyme. She took it, pulling herself to her feet. Rhyme repressed a shiver, that cold feeling that she had been feeling all evening threatening to take over her again.

…"_Do you remember?" _

What?, she wanted to scream. What was she supposed to remember?!? She stared at the spot where the woman was.

"Is she gone…?" she asked.

Joshua frowned. "She should be," he said.

"…But you don't think she is?" asked Rhyme.

"No…" said Joshua, "I don't think she is…"

He pulled out his phone, opening the tracker once again. Joshua stared at it, frowning for a moment, before closing it and putting the phone back into his pocket. He shrugged and smirked at Rhyme.

"Well, now we have even more reason to talk to Mr. Hanekoma, don't we?" he asked, beginning to walk in the direction of the Miyashita Park Underpass. Rhyme frowned, thinking back to the fight and to the blue light immediately before it.

"…Joshua…" she said as they were walking, "Back then…did we…?"

Joshua gave her a small smirk and nodded. "Yes," he said, "That's why I said you helped yourself.."

"Is that even possible?" asked Rhyme, "Neither of us are Players…so…"

"Unusual, but not impossible," said Joshua, "You don't have to be a Player to form a pact. It's just necessary for Players to form pacts before they can fight. Reapers and the rest of us aren't bound by the same restrictions. Kariya and Uzuki, for instance, have a very strong pact, but both of them can fight well enough on their own."

"Oh…" said Rhyme.

She didn't know what else to say. She found herself staring at the ground as they walked through Miyashita Park and on to Cat Street. If she had just formed a pact with Joshua…did that mean that they were partners now? She rubbed her right arm with her left hand. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about being partnered to someone like Joshua…

The sound of a bell shook her back to her senses and she looked up as Joshua opened the door to WildKat. Mr. H was sitting behind the counter. He looked up at them as they entered, raising an eyebrow as he saw them.

"Well…" he said, "This is interesting…"

* * *

"Hmm…so that's what happened," said Mr. H.

The three of them were seated around a table at WildKat, the café already closed for the night. Rhyme glanced at the mug of hot chocolate in front of her, picking it up and blowing across the surface of it as she took a sip.

"Any idea who she was?" asked Rhyme. Mr. H frowned and shook his head.

"Afraid not," he said, "Could be a Reaper from another district. I've been thinking about that ever since you two had your little adventure in Minato. Actually…that's what I wanted to talk to you about today…" He walked over to the counter, pulling a rolled up poster from under the counter and walking over to the table. He unrolled it, revealing a map of Tokyo.

"This," he said, placing a coin on one of the districts, "is Shibuya, and this…" He placed a coin on the district next to it, "is Minato. Aside from the strange things happening in Shibuya and Minato…" He picked up two more coins. "…power in the UGs of Shinjuku and Chiyoda has been fluctuating lately. I don't think the two instances are unrelated."

"Just Shinjuku and Chiyoda?" asked Joshua, looking at the map.

"Well, who knows," said Mr. H., placing a hand on the back of his neck. "Shinjuku and Chiyoda are the ones that we can sense."

Rhyme stared at the map and at the coins on it. Shinjuku, Shibuya, Minato, Chiyoda…the four districts were side-by-side, but more importantly…

"The other three districts all share boundaries with Minato…" she said.

"Exactly," said Mr. H., "It's possible that Minato might be the source of the disturbance, but at the same time…" He pointed at the map again.

"…Minato, Chiyoda, and Shibuya all share boundaries with Shinjuku," said Joshua

Mr. H nodded. "So Shinjuku and Minato are both equally suspicious. We won't know which one is actually the source of the disturbance until we take a closer look. You and Rhyme have already taken a look at Minato, especially around Shiba Park…"

"You think we should go back?" asked Rhyme.

Mr. Hanekoma smiled. "Now, Skulls Jr., don't be too impatient," he said, "I was about to say that you should send someone else to look at Minato and see if they catch anything you two might have missed, and that the two of you should visit Shinjuku."

"Kariya and Uzuki," said Joshua, nodding.

"So it's settled," said Mr. H., "When do you plan to go to Shinjuku?"

"If my _dear partner_ has no problem with it, I'd like to go on Saturday," said Joshua teasingly, smirking at Rhyme. She turned pink and looked away. "…It's fine," she said.

"Alright," said Mr. H, stretching. "I have some things in the kitchen that need putting away. Can you give me a hand with that, Rhyme?"

"Sure," said Rhyme, smiling. She slid out of her seat and followed Mr. H into the kitchen. Rhyme glanced back at Joshua as she walked through the kitchen door. He was sitting at the table, his fingers busy tapping at the keypad of his phone. She let the door close and looked around the kitchen.

"What do you need put away, Mr. H?" she asked.

"Well, nothing," said Mr. H, smiling at her. Rhyme's eyes widened slightly.

"Then…why…?" she asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a bit," said Mr. H., "You seem jumpy today. Did anything happen?"

"N-No," said Rhyme, looking away. She sighed. "I…I guess I'm just a little nervous about being partnered to the Composer of Shibuya, that's all," she said, smiling at Mr. H. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Hmm…" said Mr. H, raising a hand to his chin, "…Are you nervous about being partnered to the Composer…or nervous about being partnered to _Joshua_?"

Rhyme turned pink, looking away. When she spoke, it was in a small whisper. "…Both…" she said. Mr. H laughed, patting her on the head.

"You'll figure it out," he said, winking at her.

"Figure it out?" repeated Rhyme, looking up at him in confusion. "Figure what out?"

"Nothing, nothing," said Mr. H., waving a hand dismissively. He pulled a handful of pins out of his pocket, placing them in her hand. Rhyme stared at them. They were a set of four pins, one of them having the image of a skull covering its eyes, the second one with the image of a skull covering its mouth, the third with the image of a skull covering its ears, and the fourth with the image of a skull covering its face.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Since you're partnered to Josh, it might come in handy," said Mr. H., "The pins are called Swift as the Wind, Hushed as the Wood, Fierce as the Flame, and Stalwart as the Mount. Consider them a present."

Rhyme picked up one of the pins, arranging them around in her hand. The design on them looked a lot like the designs of CAT's drawings…

"Did you design these, Mr. H?" she asked.

Mr. H., smiled, patting her on the shoulder. "Maybe," he said, winking at her. He pushed her lightly towards the door. "Go on, I'm sure someone's waiting for you."

Rhyme smiled and nodded, placing the pins in her pocket. "Thank you, Mr. H," she said, walking towards the door, "See you!"

Mr. Hanekoma watched her leave, a small smile on his face as he watched her walk with Joshua out the door.

**Review Responses: **

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Haha, it's the first thing I saw when I was reading that chapter over again. When I saw it, the next thing I did was place my head down on my desk, xD. And hopefully this explains a little about Takako, although not too much xD. It's only 1/3 into the story, there's still going to be a lot of questions until it's over xD.

**romeaddict: **Glad you like the chapter! ^__^ And, yeah, there really is no reason to look for one, xD. Well, here's another chapter, and it's more plot than fluffiness, but I think the plot took over this whole story xD. I didn't even start thinking of a plot until chapter 5.

**Rebel of my Destiny: **Because I'm evil, haha. Here's an update for you! ^__^ This one doesn't end in a cliffhanger, just a lot of unanswered questions xD. And if you read through the whole chapter (Parts I and II) there's a whole lot of plot points involved. I'd list them down but…I think I'll just let the plot speak for itself xD.


	12. Amuse

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Shorter chapter this time (only one part) although, depending on what happens, next chapter might be a two-parter as well! ^__^

And we have 50+ reviews!!! *distributes cookies to everyone* I love you guys!

**Theme 16: Amuse**

_People passed her by on all side, faceless and vague as they chatted and laughed about things that didn't quite reach her ears. They walked as if they didn't notice her, passing her by as if she didn't exist as she stood in place, the white road in front of her seeming almost endless…_

…_Bells…_

_The melancholy peal of church bells cut through the stillness of her surroundings, sakura petals floating down from the trees and swirling around her field of vision as the people around her seemed to fade out, disappearing…_

…_At the end of the road, she saw him, turning around to face her as the sakura petals drifted between them…_

…_She opened her mouth to call to him, but no sound came out. She ran with her hand outstretched towards him…_

…_The sakura petals turned red…_

_And suddenly there were flashes. A bridge lit in blue, red, and green, an orange and white tower set against the Tokyo skyline, a man with dark hair and green eyes and a woman with her face in shadow, blue nails dotted with rhinestones resting against her cheek…_

…_The red drop fell again…_

* * *

When they stepped off the Yamanote Line at Shinjuku Station and Joshua saw that nothing was turning up on the tracker, his first thought was that the day was going to be very dull, but now he had to admit that it was actually turning out to be interesting. He watched in amusement as several salesgirls flocked around Rhyme, presenting her with several assortments of clothes. He had made the mistake of pointing out a symbol on the door of this particular department store and suggesting that they go inside. That way, they could talk to Players without raising any suspicions. He hadn't expected that Rhyme would be assaulted hardly three seconds after she walked through the door.

"This will look so cute on you," said one salesgirl, holding a pink dress from Natural Puppy up at her.

"No, try this!" said the Sheep Heavenly salesgirl, holding up a ruffled yellow top.

"Try this one," said the Pavo Real saleswoman, holding up a red top that made Rhyme turn bright red when she saw it. "Trust me, your boyfriend will thank us for it."

Rhyme turned towards him, giving him a pleading look. She looked back at the salespeople, smiling at them.

"Th-Thank you, but we don't have time, right, Joshua?"

He noticed that the saleswomen (and Rhyme) were now staring at him. Joshua smirked, waving a hand dismissively. "We can spare an hour," he said, "Have fun."

Rhyme let out an 'eep' as the Natural Puppy salesgirl squealed, taking her by the arm and dragging her into the Natural Puppy store. An hour later, the two of them were standing outside the department store, Rhyme holding a bag in her hands. The salesgirls had pretty much gone crazy, and after they had forced Rhyme into an assortment of tops, skirts, and dresses—none of which she looked very comfortable in—Joshua had finally stepped in and paid for a blue pair of simple Natural Puppy shoes and a bracelet with flower designs on it from Pavo Real. Neither of them would make a drastic change on her usual way of dressing, but it was a start.

"You didn't have to do that…" said Rhyme, staring down at the bag she was holding with her cheeks pink. He noticed that her hat was slightly lopsided from all the fittings. He smirked at her.

"Don't mention it," he said, waving a hand dismissively as he put one of his hands into his pocket.

Rhyme still looked a little uncertain, but followed him down the street anyway. He smirked at her, vaguely amused. Altogether, he supposed that things weren't so bad, although he could do without the pact. She looked up at him, almost hesitantly, and then her face broke into the smile that she always wore. He frowned for a moment, wondering how she could still smile so genuinely when her whole world was basically turned upside down.

"So, where are we going next?" she asked.

Joshua checked the tracker on his phone for a moment before answering. Still nothing. He turned towards Rhyme.

"Shinjuku Gyoen," said Joshua, "It's not too far from here, and at the same time, it's a major landmark of Shinjuku, just like the scramble in Shibuya and Shiba Park in Minato."

"You know your way around Shinjuku well," commented Rhyme as they walked down the street.

"I've been here a few times before," said Joshua, looking around for anything out of the ordinary.

"Shinjuku ni-chome?" asked Rhyme, still smiling up at him. [1]

Joshua pretended to be affronted. "Be serious, Rhyme," he said, narrowing his eyes. He smirked, his hand resting on his cheek, "I have better taste than that."

Rhyme blinked at him in surprise for a moment, then giggled. Joshua found himself chuckling as well. The light across the street turned green as traffic stopped, and he and Rhyme crossed the street.

"…In all seriousness, though, Nishi-shinjuku," said Joshua, "Father has had several meetings in that area of town. In the past, he used to bring me with him. I'd do my homework while he did business. He's also visited Waseda University a few times."

"Waseda?" asked Rhyme.

Joshua nodded. "My father studied there," he said.

"Wow," said Rhyme, looking visibly impressed, "It's one of the best universities in Japan, isn't it?" she asked.

Joshua nodded again. "It's a very prestigious school," he said.

"Yeah," said Rhyme, smiling slightly.

"Maybe you'll get in, Rhyme," said Joshua, smirking at her.

Rhyme only smiled in reply. "I doubt it," she said, "I'll be happy if I get a scholarship to _any _college, since that's probably my only chance of getting in. Those are the gardens, right?"

Joshua pretended he didn't notice her abrupt change of topic as he looked in front of him, turning towards the entrance of the Shinjuku Gyoen. He took his wallet out of his pocket as Rhyme ran out towards the gate, taking enough money to pay for both their entry fees. Joshua paid the fee at the gate, watching for a moment in faint amusement as Rhyme ran over to one of the cherry trees, turning around to face him underneath the falling _sakura _petals and smiling cheerfully at him. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he watched her. He looked away, glancing at the surrounding area and frowning. He looked away, turning back towards Rhyme as he walked over to her.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, smirking.

"Yeah," said Rhyme, _sakura _petals landing on her hat and on her shoulders. She smiled up at him. "It's pretty."

"Mm-hmm," said Joshua, looking up at the cherry trees. He had to admit, they were rather beautiful. Cherry blossoms were one of the things to look forward to in the spring. The ones in his garden were about to start blooming as well.

Rhyme turned to look at the flowering trees again. "Have you ever been to a _hanami_, Joshua?" she asked.

Joshua turned towards her. _Hanami _was the traditional viewing of flowers, especially cherry blossoms, but since nowadays that usually meant going with people to sit underneath the trees and eat, he usually viewed the flowers on his own time. He shook his head, the smirk returning to his face.

"Can't say that I have," he said.

"Well, Neku, Shiki, _nii-chan_, and I were talking about having one of our own sometime this week in Miyashita Park," she said, "You can come along if you want…"

Joshua thought it over for a moment. It was spring break, and the next Reaper's Game probably wouldn't be held until after the break, so he did have the time, however going would mean sitting around with Neku and his _friends_, not an activity that he was looking forward to. She was smiling up at him, waiting for a response. She really was amusing. Did she really think that he would want to go with them…?

"…I'll think about it," he said, finally.

* * *

She entered the room, bowing towards the only chair there. Her hair was long and brown, tied up in a high ponytail and fastened in place with a gold hairpin, and she was dressed in a deep green Oriental-style robe.

"What do you have to report, Reida?" asked the man in the chair, turning towards her. He had bright red hair, eyes so light blue that they were almost silver, and slightly tanned skin. Both he and the woman had black wings.

"Sir, preparations are almost complete," she said.

"Good," said the man, nodding. "Notify me when everything is ready."

"I will, sir," said the woman. She bowed, recognizing a dismissal. The woman turned around to leave, then frowned, as if she had suddenly remembered something.

"Sir…" she said, "…What about the two Reapers from Shibuya?"

The man looked up, waving a hand dismissively. "Follow them," he said, "If they leave of their own accord, then leave them. If they cause trouble…erase them."

Reida Rikushu, Conductor of Minato, bowed, turning around to leave the room.

**Review Responses: **

**Tsukikari Kitsune: **Yay! No errors! And don't worry, that stuff happens to me all the time (forgetting what I was going to say). Well, here's the next chapter. It's a little shorter than last time, but hopefully I didn't disappoint when it came to raising more questions xD.

**TwiliHime33: **Yeah, Rhyme is lucky isn't she? xD. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you liked the two part chapter! ^__^ Hope you like this one too! On a lighter note, I'm just over a third of the way there, this is 11/30 already xD. Anyway, the plot's slowing down for a bit to accommodate some romance, but as you can see from the beginning and end of the chapter, it hasn't stopped completely xD. Next chap might be another two-parter, depending on the theme.

**Vixen's Shadow: **No problem girls, I know exactly what it's like to be too sleepy to make any sense xD. And thank you again for the review, I'm glad you found Mr. H funny since that was the part I really wasn't sure of. Enjoy the chapter! ^__^

**romeaddict: **Well, then pray I get one of the three themes I've been waiting for so I can use that to turn up the romance a bit xD. If I get one of those themes now next chapter will be a two-parter with extra fluff. If I don't get one of those themes, next chapter will have a little bit of fluff and some plot. Thanks again for the review and I'm glad you like the story! ^__^

**Rebel of my Destiny: **Yes, I know I'm evil, xD. Hopefully this one wasn't too much of a cliffhanger for you :P. And thanks, I'm glad you liked the action. There might be some next chapter depending on how things go ^__^ I still don't have more than a basic idea of the plot xD.

**Jestry: **Wow, so many reviews! Thanks so much, I had a good time reading all of them and that's mostly what made me turn this chapter out ASAP (well, you and everyone else who reviewed). Anyway, I'm glad you like the story, and no, Kariya didn't take Joshua's place, he took Megumi's place xD. He's now the Conductor instead of Megumi. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it, getting Joshua done right is so hard, so a lot of this is my own interpretation. That, and imagining how it would look in a cutscene if this were part of the game xD. Enjoy the chapter! ^__^ And good luck on your story as well, I'm reading **Vicissitude**, even though I'm a lazy reviewer.

**Notes: **

[1] **Shinjuku ni-chome** – Tokyo's best known gay district.


	13. Fear

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **After over a year, I've finally decided to go back over this story again. Mostly because when I opened my FF(dot)net account after all that time, I found 6 PMs asking for a continuation and a lot of new reviews.

If any of you are still around, I'm sorry I left it for so long. Please enjoy this update. Also, it's been a long while since I last played TWEWY, so I might be a little inaccurate in some places.

**Theme 17: Fear**

Rhyme swirled the straw around in her glass, taking another sip of strawberry milkshake as she watched the trains pass by through the window. Joshua sat across from her, leaning back against his chair and crossing his legs as he typed away at his phone. He didn't look up at her, looking almost bored. Rhyme frowned, sitting at the edge of her seat as she took another sip. She looked up over the rim of her cup at the silver-haired Composer.

Joshua still wasn't looking at her, a frown on his face as his eyes skimmed over the screen of his phone.

"…Don't you want anything, Joshua?" she asked, after a while. They had been walking around Shinjuku for the better part of the day now. Her feet were tired, even though she was used to walking, and this was the first time they had stopped to eat. She glanced at the empty tray of French fries at her side and the burger wrapper on top of it. They had stopped here because of the symbol on the door, but…

…So far, all the other Players seemed more interested in eating than noticing them. And Joshua hadn't eaten a bite.

He frowned at her, glancing at her from around his cellphone. "The food here doesn't agree with me," he said, seeming distracted. "…Just finish up."

"Ah…mm," said Rhyme, looking back down at her shake. She took another sip. "…But you haven't eaten all day…"

He paused for a moment and put down his phone, a smirk coming to his face. "Why, Rhyme," he said, "Are you…_worried _about me?"

Rhyme flushed and swallowed, lowering her eyes. "Uh—no," she said. "I was just saying—."

He stood up, picking up her cup and raising the straw to his lips. Joshua took a sip of her milkshake as Rhyme watched in surprise, the teasing smirk still on his face. He put the cup down, pressing his palm against his cheek and glancing up at the ceiling as if he was thinking about something.

"Not bad," he said. "But not my favorite." He picked his phone up off the tabletop, placing a hand on Rhyme's shoulder. "Come outside when you're done."

He smirked at her, turning around and leaving the store. Rhyme stared after him as he walked out onto the platform, her face flushed as she looked back at her milkshake cup. She poked the straw, her heartbeat suddenly speeding up.

_W-Was that…an indirect kiss? _[1]

XxXxX

The smirk disappeared from Joshua's face almost as soon as the glass doors of the fast food restaurant closed behind him and he was standing on the station platform. He frowned, one hand in his pocket as he raised the phone to his ear and pressed the speed dial number for Mr. Hanekoma. It rang once, twice, and before it could ring a third time, he heard the click of Mr. Hanekoma picking up the phone.

"What do you mean 'return to Shibuya immediately'?" asked Joshua, before Mr. Hanekoma could even say hello. "We aren't done investigating Shinjuku yet."

"I don't have time to explain everything," said Mr. H, sounding a little stressed out. "But you have to come back now. BJ found Kariya and Uzuki."

Joshua felt his blood suddenly run cold, his heart almost stopping for a moment as he glanced back at the restaurant. He could see Rhyme through the window, idly poking at her straw as she…presumably…debated whether or not to finish the milkshake. Reservations gave way before practical reasoning, and she took a slow sip.

"Found them?" he asked after a long pause, his voice remaining calm.

"They're alive," said Mr. H, gravely. "Well, as alive as they can be, at any rate. But it's close. They're in critical condition. You have to get back here now. You can't protect yourself and Rhyme outside of Shibuya."

Rhyme. In a restaurant full of Players. By herself. His fingers tightened around the phone as he continued to watch her. Eventually she stood up, emptying her tray in the nearest trash bin.

Mr. Hanekoma didn't need to say what he already knew. He could protect himself. He could protect Rhyme if anything were to happen to her in Shibuya. He could break the rules of his own Game again and bring her back to life. But if she was attacked here, in Shinjuku…

He wasn't God. As much as he hated to admit it, his powers were limited to Shibuya. If Rhyme died here, she'd be at the mercy of the Shinjuku Composer, and from the looks of things, he or she wasn't doing a very good job.

"…I'm on my way," he said, snapping the phone shut with a click and walking over to Rhyme as she left the restaurant. He grabbed her by the arm, roughly, and pulled her towards the train, walking rapidly. She stumbled once and let out a small shout of alarm, before quickly matching pace with him.

"We're leaving," he said, not bothering to glance back at her.

"…Why?" asked Rhyme, although she didn't stop walking. "What's wrong?"

He glanced back at her. "Kariya and Uzuki," he said.

She didn't ask further questions, her eyes widening as she quickly sped up, running with him towards the next train.

XxXxX

Kariya and Uzuki lay in separate beds in the room above WildKat, their eyes closed. There didn't appear to be any wounds or physical injuries on them, but they weren't awake. Joshua studied the scene in front of him, eyes impassive as Rhyme walked past him and ran towards the nearest bed, letting out a small whimper.

"They're in much better condition than they were when they got here," said Mr. H, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. "At that time, I wasn't sure they were going to make it."

"Mm," said Joshua, watching with apparent disinterest as Rhyme stared down at Uzuki, a concerned expression on her face. He was tempted to roll his eyes. Only Rhyme would be concerned for the life of a woman who had spent most of Rhyme's Game trying, and eventually succeeding, to erase her.

"…How long?" he asked Mr. Hanekoma, turning towards the Producer.

Mr. Hanekoma sighed. "…Until they're awake?" he asked. "I'd give it three days to a week. Whatever attacked them did a good job."

Joshua nodded, his expression cold as he thought it over. "Call me as soon as they wake. We need their stories."

"Yeah," said Mr. H. He frowned, glancing over at Rhyme. "Josh…"

"You don't need to tell me," said Joshua. "I already know." He looked up at Rhyme. "Rhyme," he said quickly, a slight edge to his tone. "Let's go."

"Mm," said Rhyme, turning around and nodding. He let her walk out the door ahead of her, following her downstairs and into the coffee shop. Once they were out the door, he grabbed her elbow, stopping her. She turned around to face him, a questioning look on her face.

"We'll go to your house and get your things," said Joshua, in a tone that left no room for argument. "You can stay in one of the guest rooms until this is over. I'll make up a story to tell my father."

For a moment, Rhyme looked like she might argue. Joshua shot her a quick glare, his violet eyes narrowing. He almost wished he hadn't. Rhyme took a step back, her eyes widening as if she had been struck. She swallowed, nodding mutely.

"Good," said Joshua, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked down the street.

XxXxX

Rhyme sat on the couch, fisting her hands around the fabric of her oversized shirt as a maid studiously carried her bag from the room. Her family had, as usual, reacted with concern about her safety and weighed it against how it would eventually affect their bottom line. The Underground was something that her parents couldn't really understand. They believed her when she said it would be safer, and she still thought, privately, that they were relieved they wouldn't have to feed her for the next week or so.

Beat, who _did _understand the UG, pretty much pulled Joshua aside and warned him that if he let _anything _happen to her, he'd find himself pushed into the path of a passing train. And then he had told Rhyme to call him if Joshua tried anything "funny".

Masayoshi-san was proving a little more skeptical, though, and a lot more difficult to convince.

"I don't have any problem with Bito-san staying here while her family is out of town, Joshua," he said, a frown on his face. "And don't misunderstand me. I agree with your concerns about her safety. But you do understand that you've already been seen together before. People will talk."

Joshua leaned back in his seat, folding his arms as he gave his father the same defiant smirk that he reserved for Neku and Beat.

"People have been talking about me since I started talking, Father," he said. "…I highly doubt that any rumors they might spread about Rhyme could be worse than some of the others they've spread about me." His smirk widened as he glanced at her. "At least she's female."

Masayoshi's frown deepened. "…It's true there have been more _distasteful_ rumors about you, Joshua, but Bito-san isn't from that world. It would be unfair to subject her to that sort of thing. People like Ikarashi will talk. Not to mention, if Bito-san was attacked just because she was seen with you, how much worse will it get if word gets out in her neighborhood that she's staying here."

Rhyme stiffened. She had been spending so much of her time focusing on the UG that she had almost forgotten about that time. Forgotten about what could have happened, if Joshua hadn't come for her…if he hadn't saved her then…

It would only get worse from here. She'd have to use her powers…

"Bito-san," said Masayoshi, turning towards her. "Don't you have any friends you can stay with?"

Rhyme swallowed, looking up. "…Just Shiki, Kiryu-san," she said. "And she's—her family is—." She glanced at Joshua for help.

"…staying at her grandmother's while renovations are being done on their house," said Joshua quickly, effortlessly. Rhyme almost gaped at him. How did lying come so easily to him? "We considered that already."

"I see…" said Masayoshi, frowning as he turned towards Joshua. "Well, do whatever you want," he said. "It's clear that my opinion doesn't matter to you in the slightest."

There was anger in Masayoshi's voice, carefully guarded. It surprised Rhyme how in that moment, he sounded almost exactly like an older Joshua.

"Alright then," said Joshua, getting up. "I'll see to it that the guest room is in order."

He walked out of the room. The moment the door closed behind him, Masayoshi sighed, covering his eyes with one hand and shaking his head. He looked up at Rhyme.

"Don't misunderstand me, Bito-san," he said. "I don't mind having you here. Help yourself to anything you need in this house."

Rhyme nodded once, nervously. "Th-thank you," she said. "Kiryu-san."

Masayoshi nodded in reply and Rhyme stood up, bowing respectfully at him before quickly leaving the room.

XxXxX

Joshua sat up later in bed that night as the door to his room creaked open, his eyes narrowed as he looked out into the hallway and reached for his cellphone. The door opened fully, letting in the light in the hall and revealing Rhyme standing there, wearing an oversized shirt to sleep in and with her blond hair sticking up in places. She didn't look up at him, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.

He let out a small sigh of relief, putting his phone down and running a hand through his hair. He was starting to become paranoid. As if he would actually be attacked in his own home. She closed the door behind her, walking over to the window and looking out.

"Need something?" he asked in his usual teasing tone.

Rhyme swallowed, lacing her fingers together. She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide and quivering. "…I'm scared…" she said, quietly.

Joshua's eyes widened almost imperceptibly at the stark honesty and fear in her eyes as she looked up at him, taking two steps towards her before he knew what he was doing. He stopped himself. What was he planning on doing? Hugging her?

How disgusting and completely cliché.

He snorted at the thought, placing his hands in his pockets as he looked away from her and instead looked out the window. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rhyme tense. Of course. She would think that he found her fear amusing. She couldn't possibly know that he was both amused and angry at himself.

He swallowed the sudden impulse to say something both untrue and equally cliché. Something like 'it's going to be alright'.

Rhyme had the annoying habit of making a fool out of him without even meaning to.

"I-I'm sorry…" said Rhyme, sounding as if she was close to tears. "I-I'll go…"

She turned around to leave and this time, Joshua acted before he could stop himself, his hand reaching out to hold onto her wrist and stop her. She turned towards him and he let go. Now, curse her, there were tears in her eyes. She was uncertain and afraid, and it was because of him. He was the one that had gotten her in this mess in the first place.

Guilt was an unfamiliar feeling for him. He didn't even feel guilty about what he had done to Neku, which was much worse than this.

If she started crying, he was sure he would do something he'd regret.

"Don't," he said. "It's fine."

She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. "It's just…Kariya and Uzuki are a lot stronger than I am…and they…"

She paused, looking away from him. "…I don't want to die again. I don't want to get erased again. That's why…"

The urge to bridge the gap between them and hold her at that moment was strong enough that he had to fold his arms tightly to stop himself. He couldn't lose his composure. He had to remain aloof, keep the distance between them.

But he didn't want to. Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't had much sleep, or maybe it was the surprise of what had happened today. Her emotions were so real, so _pure _that it almost felt…if he didn't know himself better, he would say that it was _endearing_. And he felt disgusted with himself for just thinking that.

And she was giving him that look, begging him for comfort and security that he couldn't give her. His fingers tightened around his arm.

"…I just…" she began. "…I was just…"

"You won't."

Rhyme looked up at him. "…I won't what?" she asked, a confused look on her face.

Joshua's eyes narrowed, and he glanced to the side. "You won't die again," he said. "Nobody's going to kill you."

…_I won't let them. _

"But I…" began Rhyme.

He took a step forward in spite of himself, so that he was standing right in front of her, looking down at her with his arms folded. She looked up at him, eyes big and wide and trembling.

"…I won't let them."

…He had never meant to say that out loud.

Rhyme's eyes widened further, a flush spreading across her face. She swallowed.

"…I'm always dragging you down," she said. "I'm not strong enough."

Joshua let out the breath he had been holding _slowly_, attempting to get his control back. He took a step back from her, his usual teasing smirk coming back onto his face.

"Then we'll practice more," he said. "…Tomorrow. It's the middle of the night, Rhyme."

Rhyme blinked, turning and glancing at the clock as if she noticed it for the first time. She let out a small eep. "I'm sorry!" she said, quickly. "I must have woken you up!"

"I wasn't asleep," said Joshua, "Go back to bed, Rhyme."

"O-Of course!" said Rhyme. "I…" She paused. "…Good night."

"Good night."

He waited until she was gone before sinking back onto his bed, one hand covering his face as the other clenched into a fist.

That girl…had an annoying habit of breaking barriers he would rather keep up.

He rolled his eyes, Mr. Hanekoma's words and his father's words coming back to him.

Have feelings for Rhyme? Impossible.

He was the Composer of Shibuya in one world, Masayoshi Kiryu's son in another.

He would never allow himself to stoop that low.

**Review Responses: **

Too many old reviews to respond to each one~ Thank you for your support.

**Notes: **

**[1] Indirect kiss – **Putting your mouth to something that someone else's mouth has touched can sometimes be considered similar to kissing them.


	14. Wait

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Wow, I'm so touched that some of you are still around and reading this! You have no idea how much I appreciate the support! This is theme 13/30, by the way, so we're halfway there. Expect MAJOR fluff at the halfway point, one way or another, *evil laugh*.

**Theme 21: Wait**

"_Joshua…are you going to the hanami?" _

"…_Hanami?" _

"…_I invited you in Shinjuku Gyoen. You said you'd think about it…Are you going?" _

It had been an innocent conversation. He had been lying on the couch in the study, sorting through the various text messages from his Reapers that the person he had sent to cover Kariya's work temporarily had deemed important enough to forward on to him, looking for a message from Hanekoma. She had been reading some novel or another and texting someone every now and then. He assumed it was Shiki or her brother checking in on her.

The conversation had started out innocent, until of course, Rhyme steamrolled over his reply of "I'm still thinking about it…" with a smile, a nod, and a question regarding what kind of dumplings she should bring to the _hanami_, and how many she should bring to feed four or five people, just in case he decided to come.

The next thing he knew, he was on his way to Miyashita Park, three boxes of _dango _in his hand as she walked ahead of him, her hands behind her back as she hummed a playful tune to herself.

He still wasn't sure how he ended up in this mess. It had been a manipulative, sneaky, and underhanded move on her part to con him into going.

…He was very impressed.

And a little worried that he might be rubbing off on her too much.

The _sakura _trees came into view, in the peak of their blooming season. The ground was coated with light pink flower petals, and beneath one of the trees, sitting on a deep brown blanket, were three people he recognized easily. Neku sat with his back against the trunk of the tree and his arms crossed behind his head, his eyes closed and his signature earphones hanging around his neck. Beside him sat Shiki. She looked different from how she had been in the Game, but that was over a year ago. Her legs were crossed, and her hands were in her lap as she laughed about something.

And then of course, there was Beat, scanning the crowd of people from left to right and then doing it all over again. He looked almost like a worried dog, pacing back and forth.

Rhyme immediately picked up speed, running over to them.

"Hey, everyone!" she said. "Sorry we're late!"

Neku frowned, opening his eyes. "We?" he asked.

Joshua smirked.

_Showtime. _

He stepped out from behind Rhyme, one hand on his head. "My, my, Neku," he said. "Forgotten me already?"

Shiki's eyes widened. "Joshua?" she asked. Beat jumped to his feet, looking positively murderous. Neku's eyes narrowed briefly, almost imperceptibly, before he sat up. "I didn't forget," he said. "I just didn't expect to see you here."

"Little Rhyme asked me out," said Joshua, his smirk widening as he placed one hand on his cheek. "And I'm afraid I just _couldn't _say no."

Literally. Who knew Rhyme had a devious side?

"Rhyme did…?" Neku's eyes flicked over to Rhyme.

Rhyme smiled brightly up at Neku. "I saw him standing near the park and thought he might like to join us. Is that okay?"

"Yes, I hope I'm not intruding on anything," said Joshua in a teasing tone.

Neku frowned, glancing at Shiki and Beat. "It's alright with me," said Shiki with a small smile.

"How about you, Daisukeno—."

"It's Beat!" shouted Beat. "And it ain't damn okay!" He looked at Rhyme. "No way. No way in hell is that prissy bastard crashing ou—."

"I brought the _dango_," interrupted Joshua, setting the three boxes in front of Beat with a smirk.

There was a pause as Beat glanced from the boxes of dumplings to Joshua and back to the dumplings.

XxXxX

"I still don't like 'im," said Beat through a mouthful of dumplings, his arms and legs crossed and chopsticks in his right hand.

Rhyme giggled from beside him, reaching for another skewer of _dango_. "It's alright, _nii-chan_," she said. "It's only for an hour."

Beat muttered something she couldn't understand through another bite of dumpling. Rhyme smiled, taking a small nibble out of her own as she watched Joshua continue to tease Neku. It was nice, having them all out here under the _sakura _trees without anything to worry about. Considering how the past few days had been, it was a welcome change.

She frowned, looking around the park. She wasn't sure if Beat and the others saw him, or if they were just ignoring him, but Tenho was standing at the edge of the park, his hands in the pockets of his signature red jacket. A handful of Noise symbols hovered around as well. Her fingers drifted over the Player pin in her pocket. She still needed it to scan, even though Joshua was saying that there were ways to scan without the pin. She frowned. She had almost forgotten that it was about time for the next Game.

But without Kariya and Uzuki…

"Hello, Rhyme?" asked Shiki, leaning over her. "Earth to Rhyme…"

Rhyme blinked, nearly falling backwards as she looked up to see Shiki's eyes right in front of her. "Ah—um—Shiki—," she said, nervously. "What's up?"

"You've been spaced out for a while," said Shiki. "You didn't hear me when I asked you what you thought of my new design."

Rhyme blinked. "New…design?" she asked.

Shiki grinned, holding up a sketchbook for her to see. A gust of wind blew through the air, snatching one of the loose pieces of paper from the book and sending it flying off into the park. Shiki let out a shout.

"My design!" she said.

Without thinking, Rhyme jumped to her feet and ran off after it. The little piece of paper floated just in front of her, heading towards the overpass. She heard Neku and Beat shout after her as she ran towards the overpass. The sheet of paper drifted just over the railing, and Rhyme grabbed onto the railing with one hand, jumping up onto the concrete and reaching for it.

An arm suddenly hooked around her waist, pulling her back down and against someone's chest. Rhyme let out a squeak of surprise as a hand reached out alongside hers, motioning to the sheet of paper. There was a small spark of blue light, and the paper zoomed back into the hand.

"I thought you didn't want to die again," said Joshua, his breath tickling the outside of her ear.

Rhyme blinked, suddenly stiffening as she looked down the drop over the Underpass, her breath catching in her throat. She slowly released the railing and Joshua took a deep breath. She could feel that against her skin, sending tingles down her spine for an entirely different reason. She swallowed, feeling her face beginning to heat up as he pulled her from the railing, lowering her back to street level. He stared down at her for a moment, his violet eyes uncharacteristically serious, before he took a step back, unfolding the piece of paper and taking a look.

"…I think she's drawing too many influences from D+B for this one," he said, folding up the piece of paper. "If I owned their brand, I'd sue."

Right. Shiki's fashion design. Rhyme took a deep breath, slumping against the railing as she looked down at the Underpass.

_Miyashita Underpass. The place where I…_

"What were you thinking?" asked Joshua, his voice shaking her back to reality. She looked up at him.

"I was…" She smiled slightly. "I guess I wasn't," she finished, with a nervous giggle.

"I gathered that," he said, motioning with his head towards where Beat, Neku, and Shiki would be waiting. "We should head back before they send out a search party." He sounded amused. Rhyme smiled at him, nodding as she let him lead the way back.

"You're having fun," she said with a smile, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Fun?" asked Joshua. He smirked at her. "Well, I suppose. Neku is always amusing to toy around with."

"That's good," said Rhyme with a smile, skipping once so that she took a step ahead. "I'm glad."

"Why did you invite me, Rhyme?" asked Joshua teasingly, taking another step so that he was level with her. He smirked at her.

Rhyme smiled back. "It should be obvious," she said, giggling.

He raised an eyebrow. "Enlighten me."

"You haven't checked your phone in almost an hour now," said Rhyme with a smile.

There was surprise in his expression, although it was carefully guarded. That was enough of a triumph for her. It had been three days since Kariya and Uzuki had been attacked, and in that time, Joshua hadn't gone more than twenty minutes without checking his phone for a text message from Mr. H. Despite the fact that Mr. H _promised _he would get in touch with Joshua by whatever means necessary when they finally woke up.

He was worried. It was hard to tell with Joshua, because he hid everything so well. But Rhyme had the feeling that he didn't like not knowing what was going on, not understanding this enemy. He liked to always be in control of the situation—influencing it, nudging it where he wanted it to go.

And he couldn't do that this time. Despite the fact that he would never admit it…

"…I thought you needed something to get your mind off everything," said Rhyme.

The wait had been difficult. And even now, they were still waiting. Even Rhyme was getting worried, because she did want to know what was happening. Before it came to them.

"I see…" said Joshua. "So you thought coming out here and letting me torment Neku would make me feel better?"

"Well, that depends," said Rhyme.

"On what?"

"Did it work?"

There was a long pause. Joshua didn't answer, his hands in his pockets. There was a thoughtful frown on his face, as if he was thinking everything over. Rhyme waited as they crossed the street back into the park, before smiling.

"…Also, I thought you were getting a little lonely," she said.

Joshua looked up at her. "Lonely," he repeated, his tone incredulous.

"Yep," said Rhyme, with a bright smile.

"…You're insane."

"Maybe." Rhyme stuck her tongue out at him, before running ahead of him to reach Shiki, Neku, and Beat. She grinned, handing Shiki back her design. "Here you go," she said, sitting back down and scolding Beat for eating the _dango _that she had dropped.

Joshua watched her from a distance, a frown on his face as he slowly walked back to the group. Lonely. What a silly girl. Where did she get ideas like this?

…But he had to admit…he was no longer thinking of Kariya, Uzuki, and that Matsuda woman anymore. That had been her intention all along, after all. His characteristic smirk appeared on his face as he reached Neku.

"I hope you didn't miss me too much, Neku," he said with a smirk.

Neku rolled his eyes, shoving him away slightly as he turned back to talk to Shiki about something. Joshua grinned inwardly. Neku really was too easy to rile up.

He turned towards Rhyme, watching as she opened up another box of _dango_ and scolded Beat for eating one box by himself, smiling at Shiki as she giggled over Shiki's design.

He would never admit it. He'd never say it out loud.

But…he did appreciate it.

And he had a feeling that Rhyme knew that too.

XxXxX

Later that night, after the ramen dinner that Beat had treated them too at Rhyme's insistence and using Neku's money after he had eaten almost all the _dango, _Joshua's phone beeped. He was standing in his room about to change for bed when the phone on his desk suddenly lit up. Joshua frowned, quickly buttoning his shirt back up as he crossed the room and picked it up, his fingers barely staying steady despite his anticipation as he opened the message.

Mr. Hanekoma had sent him two words.

_**They're awake. **_

**Review Responses: **

**Jaunea – **Thank you! Actually, it was your review that made me decide to continue it, since your review was the most recent. And I love **A Trip To Remember**. I read it while trying to think of what to write for this one! I'm glad you like it, and yeah, trying to ease Josh into a relationship gradually is not easy when he's being so damn resistant to all of this . Oh well, haha.

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **I forgot how much I liked this pairing until I went back to this too! I'm glad you're still around and that you're still willing to read, thank you for the support!

**AntiSora – **OMG, it's you! I remember you! Thank you very much for continuing to support this story! You're one of the people that consistently reviews every chapter, and I think that's awesome. I'm glad you like how protective Josh is being ^_^ He's acting a little difficult for me. If he was anyone else, there'd be fluff by now, haha.

**iandin123 – **Soon enough, dear, soon enough *evil laugh* I just have to ease Josh over these reservations he has…or make something happen that's so traumatic he forgets about them entirely. Hmm…decisions, decisions. Anyway, I'm glad you like it! Thank you for following this story!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter.


	15. Forget

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Alright! We're at 14/30 now, and here's a nice long chapter for you! Next chapter, there will be some major fluff, FINALLY, so be prepared!

**Theme 11: Forget**

Joshua took the steps two at a time, Rhyme following along behind him. She hadn't even asked questions when he showed up at her room to get her. She had just grabbed her clothes and darted into the connecting bathroom, and within less than a minute, she was leaving the room and following him out the door and into the UG so that they wouldn't be seen.

The brisk walk to Cat Street had been quiet. Neither of them talked, as if they were just focusing their energies on getting there in the least amount of time. Despite the fact that it was well after closing time, the doors were unlocked. Joshua had walked through, leaving the door open just long enough for Rhyme to catch it before heading up the stairs.

Blue light flared around the door to the room and it swung open with a crack. From inside, Uzuki jumped, turning towards the door. Joshua walked in, his hands in his pockets.

"Am I late?" he asked, smirking at Mr. Hanekoma, who sat backwards on the only chair in the room, his arms crossed over the top of it.

Mr. Hanekoma smiled. "Always have to make a grand entrance, don't you, Josh," he said.

Joshua smirked, slipping his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. "I felt it was appropriate this time," he said.

"You never change," said Mr. Hanekoma. He looked past Joshua, smiling. "Hey there, Skulls Jr."

Rhyme followed Joshua into the room, closing the door behind her. She smiled and nodded at Mr. H. He turned his head towards her, watching as she looked over the room, her eyes landing on Uzuki and Kariya, who were sitting up in their beds.

"You're alright," she said, letting out a sigh of relief as she stepped towards them. "That's good."

Uzuki turned towards her. "What's _she _doing here?" she asked, in a snappy tone of voice that made Rhyme recoil. Joshua stepped in front of her, gesturing for her to stay put. From his own bed, Kariya sighed.

"Uzuki…" he began.

"That's not really your concern," said Joshua, a slight cold edge in his tone. He frowned. "Tell me what happened."

Kariya sighed, flopping back down onto the bed and placing his hands behind his head as if he wasn't talking to the Composer. He stared up at the ceiling. "We were just about to leave. Uzuki wanted to check Shiba Park one more time."

"And then?" prompted Joshua.

"We were attacked. A woman in a Chinese-style dress. She was a Reaper."

Joshua frowned. "She did this to you?" he asked.

"She was using some kind of venom," said Kariya. "Either way, she was tough. She said her name was Reida Rikushu."

Uzuki let out a frustrated shout. "When I get my hands on her…" she said, making grabbing motions in the air.

Joshua glanced at Mr. Hanekoma. He frowned, pushing his shades up. "Reida Rikushu," he repeated. "…I'll look into it." Joshua nodded. He was aware of the fact that Mr. Hanekoma couldn't reveal his role as the Producer to other Reapers. Joshua made a mental note to ask him later if he found anything interesting.

"She crushed my lollipop too," muttered Kariya, running a tired hand through his hair. "Geez…what a pain."

Joshua felt a smirk come to his face. "I'll see to it that you're reimbursed," he said. "How soon can you two get back to work?"

"I'm fine _now_, but nursemaid over there says I have to stay another night," said Uzuki, rolling her eyes as she pointed at Mr. H.

Kariya grinned, closing his eyes. "Can I get the week off?"

"Unfortunately no," said Joshua, still smirking. "The next Game starts next week and with this whole mess we're in, I'm afraid I might need you to take over."

"Alright then," said Kariya, making a vague gesture. "Uzuki. Game Master."

Uzuki growled. "Oh, just get out of bed!" she snapped.

"Oi, oi," said Kariya. "Is that any way to treat an invalid?"

Uzuki threw a pillow at him. Joshua glanced behind him as he heard the sound of someone giggling, his smirk widening as he saw Rhyme with a hand over her mouth, giggling at the two of them.

"Having fun, Rhyme?" he asked.

Rhyme blinked, looking up at him. Kariya threw Uzuki's pillow off himself, propping himself up on one arm.

"Oh…" he said. "That's right."

Joshua turned towards him. "Did you forget something?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Kariya. "She said something else, but you might want to ask your little friend to leave. This is something you need to hear alone."

Joshua frowned, turning his head to face Rhyme. "Rhyme?" he asked.

"Mm," said Rhyme, nodding. "I'll wait downstairs."

"I'll come with you," said Mr. Hanekoma, getting up. "You look like you need a cup of coffee. He turned the chair around, pushing it at Joshua. Joshua shot out a hand, catching it before it hit him.

Joshua watched the two of them leave, before sitting down and turning to face Kariya.

XxXxX

Rhyme followed Mr. H down the stairs, a frown on her face. Reida Rikushu…why did that name ring a bell? She was sure she hadn't heard it before, but then again…there were a lot of things that were happening to her lately that she couldn't understand. Those dreams for one…and then this whole thing with Minato's UG. She swallowed.

…Why couldn't she shake the feeling that she was forgetting something important?

Mr. H vaulted over the counter easily, turning towards the array of coffee pots and flavors that stood on the shelves behind it. Rhyme frowned, still in thought as she sat on one of the stools.

"Want anything in particular?" asked Mr. H. "I can make you the House Blend."

Rhyme put the thoughts out of her head, smiling up at Mr. H as she rested her arms on the countertop. "No coffee, please," she said. "I won't be able to sleep tonight."

"Hot chocolate, then?" offered Mr. H, holding up a can of cocoa.

"If you don't mind," said Rhyme.

"No problem," said Mr. H, measuring some cocoa powder out. Rhyme reached into her pocket, her hands closing around a handful of coins.

"How much?" asked Rhyme.

"Well, Rhyme," said Mr. H, turning around and winking at her. "Since we're technically closed, you can consider this one on the house." He left the milk to heat up, turning around and propping his elbow up on the countertop.

"Still doing alright?" he asked. "You look a little worse for wear."

Rhyme frowned, tracing a circle on the countertop with her finger.

"…I'm…alright," she said, after a while. "I'm just a little worried, I guess." She forced a smile on her face, looking up at Mr. H. He raised an eyebrow at her, a small smile coming onto his face as well.

"What am I going to do with the two of you?" he asked. "One of you smiles constantly even when something's wrong, and the other one smirks. Honestly." He turned around and grabbed the cup of hot chocolate, pouring some whipped cream on the top. "Here you go. Sorry, we're out of marshmallows."

"Thank you," said Rhyme, taking a small sip. She paused, thinking back to Matsuda and what she had said, and the man they had seen in Minato. And then Kariya and Uzuki…

She shivered, remembering how it felt when she had seen that car coming towards them…remembering how it felt when she pushed Beat out of the way of that Noise. She had been glad to do it. She would do it again.

But she didn't want to die again…

Her fingers tightened around the handle of her mug. "…I guess I'm just a little worked up over it," said Rhyme. "I mean…I don't know what's going on…and if that Rikushu lady could defeat Kariya and Uzuki…I don't know how I'll be able to keep up."

She frowned, her expression growing distant. And then there were the dreams. They were coming more frequently now, and just adding to the gnawing fear that something was about to happen that she couldn't prevent.

"…I feel like I'm just dragging everybody down…" she said. "And Joshua…" She trailed off.

Mr. H poked her lightly on the forehead right between the eyes, causing her to look up at him.

"D'you know what I used to tell Neku?" he asked. "Back when he was playing the Game?"

"What?" asked Rhyme, taking a small sip of her hot chocolate.

"Trust your partner," said Mr. H. "It's a little unconventional this time around, but the principle still applies. I know it's a little worrying, but trust Josh on this one. He has a knack for figuring things out."

Rhyme smiled softly, tracing her finger around the top of her cup. She didn't even need to think about her answer to that. Joshua could be a little scary sometimes, and he kept everything inside and didn't tell anyone his thoughts, but in the few months she had known him, he had saved her life at least three times. All with the same teasing smirk, the same wicked smile, the same gleam in his eye.

Sometimes, when she was lying awake at night thinking about things, she thought that maybe he wanted to act like she shouldn't trust him. Like he was trying to keep her, and everyone else away.

To live in isolation, interacting with people but not really interacting with them, pulling them closer only to push them away…

It was times like that, late in the night, when she almost felt sorry for him. Living a life like that…so high above everyone else that no one else could reach him.

"I trust Joshua," she said, without the slightest amount of doubt in her tone.

Mr. H's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He straightened up a little bit, looking at her. "Do you now?" he asked.

"Mm," said Rhyme, nodding. "He's never given me a reason not to."

"Then you should be fine," said Mr. H, smiling as he wiped his hands off on a rug.

She frowned, taking a sip of her hot chocolate as she heard the door upstairs open and close, footsteps making their way down to the shop level.

…_I trust Joshua…_she repeated to herself, turning her head as Joshua stepped into view. His expression was cold. He was frowning, everything hidden behind his violet eyes. Whatever Kariya had told him, he wasn't sharing. Rhyme stared at him, eyes wide as she realized something.

_...Does Joshua trust me? _

"Let's go, Rhyme," he said, inclining his head towards the door.

Rhyme blinked, scrambling off her seat. "Um…right!" said Rhyme. "Thank you for the hot chocolate, Mr. H."

"Anytime, Skulls Jr.," he said, waving her off. Joshua started walking towards the door, not even turning around to see if she was following him. Rhyme took a deep breath, following Joshua out onto the streets.

XxXxX

Rhyme sat at her desk with her head propped up in her hand, her fingers lazily weaving themselves in and out of her blond hair as her pen drifted idly over her notebook. It was lunch break, and she wasn't really that hungry. She was starting to wish she had accepted Mr. H's offer of coffee last night. She hadn't been able to sleep much anyway, and at least with a little more coffee, she might have been wider awake.

And then there was Joshua standing in the kitchen when she had finally gotten out of bed this morning, his school uniform shirt still about half undone as he turned around and offered her a cup of coffee…

Rhyme bit her lip to keep herself from turning pink again, thinking back to her conversation with Mr. H. Why couldn't she stop thinking about that? Why couldn't she stop wondering what Joshua and Kariya were talking about, without her there to listen? Why couldn't she just relax and forget about everything, especially the question she had been asking herself since last night.

Trust your partner.

She trusted Joshua, but did he trust her at all? And if he did…why wouldn't he tell her what Kariya said?

"…_Um…about last night…" _

"_Don't worry about it."_

Rhyme sighed, putting down her pen and staring down at her notebook. While she had been lost in thought, she had written four kanji characters diagonally across a blank page. Paulownia, birth, coming, dream. Her eyes widened, her face turning red. She let out a small squeak, falling forward and letting her head rest against the desk.

_Kiri-Yu Rai-Mu_

_I'm hopeless…_

"Rhyme?"

Rhyme sat up in a flash, covering the incriminating characters with her hands as she looked up. Shiki was standing over her, a concerned look on her face.

"Sh-Sh-Shiki!" said Rhyme, a nervous grin suddenly appearing on her face. "I—um—hi!"

"…Hi…" said Shiki, frowning. She glanced around. "Uh…we were supposed to meet for lunch?"

"R-Right! Lunch! Food! Eating! O-Of course!" said Rhyme quickly, pulling the notebook away. "How about I meet you outside?"

Shiki blinked, looking from Rhyme to the notebook. Rhyme covered it up further, making sure that not a single _stroke _could be seen.

"Are you alright?" asked Shiki.

"Fine!" said Rhyme. "Perfect! I'll be there in a minute!"

A slow grin spread over Shiki's face. "Oh, I see~," she said. "Raimu-chan has a crush!"

"C-Crush?" asked Rhyme, her face turning even more red. Stupid, traitorous face. "N-No I don't! That's silly, Shiki! Why would you think something like that! It's not like I wrote anything down in my—eep!"

"Come on, let me see!" said Shiki, trying to grab the notebook. Rhyme quickly pulled it out of her reach, hugging it close to her and turning away. "Is it someone we know? Someone from our school? Come on, Rhyme! Tell me!"

"No!" said Rhyme, trying to keep the notebook away from Shiki. "It's nothing! No one! I don't have a crush!"

"Then let me see you're notebook!" said Shiki, leaning over the desk and making a grab for it.

"Noooo—AAH!"

Rhyme leaned backward to keep the notebook away, leaned a little too far, and fell off the edge of her seat, crashing hard onto the floor. Shiki grinned in triumph, grabbing on to the first page of Rhyme's notebook.

"Come on, Rhyme!" she said. "I just wanna know who it is!"

"Shiki!" said Rhyme, holding on to the other end of the page and pulling. "Come on, get off! It's nothing! It's—!"

_Rip! _

The paper ripped into two, causing Rhyme and Shiki to both fall backwards. Rhyme stared at Shiki as she unfolded her half, the younger girl's eyes widening in horror. Oh no. How was she supposed to explain this? Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

Shiki frowned, looking up at her.

"This is just your name…" she said.

Rhyme's eyes widened and she quickly grabbed the other half of the paper, the half with the "Kiryu" on it, before Shiki could lunge for it. She tore it in half, then fourths, then eighths, until it wasn't readable anymore. Then, she crumpled it up. Shiki stared at her in disappointment.

"Aww, Rhyme," said Shiki, pouting. "You're no fun."

Rhyme let out a sigh of relief, tossing the crumpled pieces of paper into the nearest trash can as she followed a disheartened Shiki out the door.

"But don't think this is over!" said Shiki, with a grin. "One way or another, I will find out!"

Rhyme laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. Her heart was still pounding from what had just happened, from what she had written.

No way. It wasn't possible, was it?

…Did she like Joshua?

XxXxX

"Rhyme!"

Rhyme turned around quickly at Joshua's alarmed shout, her hand moving towards one of the four pins floating around her as the wolf Noise jumped at her, snarling. The pin—Swift As The Wind—rushed into place as Rhyme quickly extended her hand towards another pin, focusing. A bright light shot from one pin to another, bouncing off all of the pins before finally hitting Swift As The Wind, and shooting towards the wolf.

There was a flash as the wolf was knocked back, dissolving into black dust and disappearing.

She let out a sigh of relief, extending her hand. The four pins moved towards it, settling in her palm. Rhyme stared down at her pin set for a moment, before slipping all four pins into her pocket. Joshua walked up to her, a frown on his face.

"That was close," said Rhyme, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Too close. You're strangely unfocused today," he said, folding his arms.

Rhyme swallowed. Her throat was dry. "I'm just—thinking over stuff—," she said. "And I didn't get much sleep last night." She accepted the soda he handed her with a nod of thanks, taking a quick sip.

"I see," said Joshua.

"So…what's next?" asked Rhyme, finishing off the soda.

"Nothing," said Joshua. "You're not practicing if you can't stay focused." He smirked. "The next Noise might just take your head off, and then where would I be without my dear, dear partner?"

Rhyme looked up at him. "B-but…" she said. "I can still…"

"Go back to the house, Rhyme," said Joshua, pulling out his phone to check on it. "I still have some things to do."

Rhyme swallowed, staring up at him. He stood with his back partly to her, a frown on his face as he pressed the numbers on his keypad.

_Do you trust me? _

She wanted to ask that out loud, but for some reason, when she opened her mouth the words wouldn't come out. Joshua glanced back at her, frowning.

"Yes?" he asked.

"…Nothing," said Rhyme. "…Um…I'll see you there…"

Joshua nodded, watching as she walked away.

XxXxX

"I see…" said Mr. Hanekoma, nodding. "So that's what Kariya said."

"Mm," said Joshua, sitting across the counter from him. As soon as he made sure Rhyme was safely home, he had come here. He frowned, resting his hand on the tabletop as he thought back to what Kariya had said last night.

"_That Rikushu woman…she said "say hello to Raimu for me"…How is that girl involved in all of this?"_

Rhyme.

What did she have to do with all of this, and what did Reida Rikushu want with her?

"What did you find out?" asked Joshua, looking up at him.

"From upstairs, you mean?" asked Mr. H, wiping down a coffee cup. "Nothing. I can't get in touch with the Producer at Minato, and the one at Shinjuku wasn't helping much. All she told me was that they were dealing with the same problems over there."

"I see…" said Joshua, frowning as he thought it over. Even the Producers weren't sure what was going on…

"…Rhyme…" said Mr. Hanekoma, frowning. "I'm not sure how she fits in all of this, but she's in danger right now."

"You don't need to tell me that," muttered Joshua under his breath. He frowned, realizing how much he sounded like a petulant child. He curled his fingers inwards, turning his head towards Mr. H.

Mr. Hanekoma looked him straight in the eye. "You've finally admitted it?" he asked. "How you feel about her?"

"That really isn't any of your business," said Joshua, sliding off his seat and getting up. "I need to head home."

"Are you going to tell her?"

Joshua turned, walking towards the door. "Should I?" he asked.

"I think you should," said Mr. H, not sounding at all offended that Joshua was walking away from him as he talked.

That was one of the reasons why he respected Hanekoma, and one of the reasons why Hanekoma infuriated him so much sometimes. He was completely unaffected by anything Joshua said. He had a feeling that if he walked out the door right now, made his way to Udagawa, and covered Hanekoma's mural with "CAT STINKS" in lurid pink paint, the Producer would just shrug it off and continue making coffee.

Sanae Hanekoma was the one person Joshua couldn't manipulate. Couldn't control.

…Maybe one of the two people he couldn't control.

He turned his head towards Mr. Hanekoma, a smirk coming onto his face. "I'll take that under consideration," he said, continuing to walk towards the door.

"You know," said Mr. Hanekoma, causing Joshua to stop at the door. "She told me she trusted you."

Joshua stiffened, resting one hand on the doorframe. Rhyme would. She was too trusting. She would trust anybody. Even someone like him. No matter how hard he tried to push her away, she kept coming back. Growing on him. Getting under his skin and getting in his head until he found himself thinking about her. _Worrying_ about her, for crying out loud. Her safety. Her emotional well-being.

He was turning into such a sap.

"Did she, now?" asked Joshua in a teasing tone, even though there was no smirk on his face. His fingers curled around the doorframe.

"…Don't screw this up, Josh," said Mr. Hanekoma, sounding serious. "This may be the one person besides me who sees you for who you really are. Do yourself a favor. Don't drive her away."

Joshua took a deep breath. Perceptive. She was too perceptive. She and Hanekoma both."I believe that's my decision to make," he said, sharply. "Good night, Mr. Hanekoma."

He stepped out onto the street without waiting for a reply, closing the door to the shop behind him. For a moment, he wished he could forget about her. He wished he could go back to the day he had approached her in this very shop and erase that day from existence. Forget everything. Go back to living the life of solitude he had been living before she bulldozed her way in.

He wished he could forget that she even existed. Forget about sunshine and warmth, simplicity and purity.

Just bring things back to the way they were.

He almost laughed at himself at that moment as he walked down Cat Street.

Forget about Rhyme?

Not likely.

**Review Responses: **

**Read the Avatar – **Thanks! I'm glad you like the chapter! And yeah, it's the middle of summer, so I'm probably going to update fairly often. Especially since from this point on, things are going to get REALLY interesting.

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Here's another quick update for you! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the review, and keep on reading!

**Jaunea – ***hugs back*, haha, glad you like it! And I'm glad you found that funny. I was giggling when I wrote it. And sure, you can tell yourself that, but it was really your review that made me think about picking it up again XD

**The Legendaerie LT – **I'm really glad that you think that! It means a lot, coming from you. Honestly, I had no idea so many people actually LIKED this old thing. I hope you like this chapter =)

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	16. Bloom

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **And I can't believe, after all this time, we're at the halfway point at last! Here's a special little chapter for all of you, that's been a long time in coming. There's a shoutout somewhere in this chapter to **The Legendaerie LT** and her wonderful one-shot **Rhyme Over Reason**. Let's see if you can find it.

Other than that, enjoy this chapter! I made it especially for all of you!

**Bonus Theme 04: Bloom**

_They stood there in the middle of the bridge. Joshua, the black-haired man, and another figure standing in shadow. Rhyme ran across the bridge towards them, her footsteps echoing in her ears and her heart beating quickly in her chest. Joshua had his hands in his pockets. He wasn't looking at her. _

_Her right eye hurt. It was difficult to see out of it, although she didn't know why. _

_Her eyes widened as she stopped in her tracks. The man—the one that was standing in shadow—he was holding something up towards Joshua. It looked like a gun. Rhyme froze, turning towards him. _

"_J-Joshua…?" she heard herself ask. _

_He turned towards her, his lips moving although she didn't hear the sound. There was a flash of light. A single gunshot. _

_Rhyme screamed. _

She opened her eyes, taking a deep breath. The ceiling above her bed was a lot higher than the one in her room, and unfamiliar. It took her a moment to remind herself where she was, and to figure out why her bed was a lot softer than she was used to. She blinked, pushing the blanket off her and sitting up.

That's right. She wasn't in her room. She was at Joshua's house.

Rhyme took another deep breath and sat up, pressing her hand to her cheek. Her skin felt cold and clammy, and her pajamas were drenched with sweat. She slowly lowered her feet to the carpeted floor, padding across the room and pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher that had been laid out for her. She took a sip slowly, turning to look at the clock.

4 AM again. She was really starting to expect it.

She put down the glass of water with a clunk, running a hand through her hair. The dream had been so much more vivid than the others, though, and they had been coming more frequently…

Her heart was still beating more quickly than she would like.

She sighed, grabbing her cellphone off the desk and her pin set, just in case. Rhyme slipped her sneakers on over her bare feet, opening her door and glancing up and down the hallway. There was no one in sight. She closed her eyes, blue light surrounding her as she made the shift from the RG to the UG. At least this way, she wouldn't wake anybody up. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her, walking softly down the darkened hallway until she reached the small garden.

Rhyme took a deep breath as she closed the door behind her, leaning back against it. The cool night air blew across her face and she sighed, closing her eyes. Like this, she almost fell asleep again, but the memory of the dream was still too strong. Rhyme straightened up, walking over a trellis in one corner of the garden. Wisteria vines coiled around the metal designs, violet flowers hanging down from them in full bloom.

Even though she couldn't see the colors in the dark, it was still a pretty sight. She sat down on the grass, drawing her knees up close to her chest as she pulled out her cellphone and scrolled down her list of messages.

She debated texting Beat and decided against it. If he somehow thought that there was _anything _wrong with her, he would come over here at four in the morning, loudly, and there would be a lot of explaining to do for Mr, Kiryu. Especially since Beat was supposedly out of town. Neku and Shiki? Same thing. She didn't want to discuss the Underground with them. Not when they had already left that world.

So that left her alone.

The sound of the door opening and closing made Rhyme look up. Joshua stood there, his hair slightly disheveled from sleep. Besides that, and the fact that he was dressed for bed, he seemed wide awake, as if it wasn't four in the morning and he hadn't been sleeping just a few moments ago. He smirked at her.

"You know…" he said. "Most people are asleep at this time instead of traipsing around the Underground."

Rhyme swallowed, quickly looking away. "Sorry," she said. "Did I wake you?"

He continued to smirk at her, standing over her. "It's a little hard to stay asleep when someone shifts from one ground to another just a few meters from where you are."

Rhyme's eyes widened. "You can feel that?" she asked.

"Can't you?" asked Joshua.

Rhyme frowned, wrapping her arms around her legs and looking away. "No…" she admitted. She paused. "…Maybe it's because you're the Composer…and it's your UG…"

"That could be it," said Joshua. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Mm…" said Rhyme. "I had a nightmare again…I'm fine, though."

"I see…" he said. "…Well, if there's nothing wrong, I'll be going back to bed. Good night, Rhyme."

Rhyme rested her head on her knees, idly pulling out blades of grass. Joshua had been out again last night. Where did he go? What did he do? Did it involve Minato? She swallowed, feeling her throat tighten.

There was a lot she didn't know about Joshua.

She looked up at him suddenly, opening her mouth before she lost her nerve.

"…Do you trust me?" she asked quietly.

He stopped in his tracks, a few feet away from her. Rhyme felt her heart rate suddenly speed up. She took a deep breath and clenched her fist around the grass, waiting for him to answer.

"J-Joshua…?" she asked, after a while.

He turned around to face her, a frown on his face. "…Of course I do, Rhyme," he said, smirking again after he said that.

Rhyme swallowed her nervousness, getting to her feet. She had gotten this far, right? Might as well go the whole way. She looked him in the eye, her heart pounding so fast that she thought it might explode.

"…Prove it," she said, quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Was that a challenge, Rhyme?" he asked, folding his arms. "My, my. I didn't think you had it in you." He paused for a moment as he studied her, his smirk disappearing. "Alright," he said. "How would you like me to prove it?"

She took a deep breath. "…Tell me a secret," she said.

"I'm the Composer of Shibuya."

Rhyme blinked. Well, she supposed…technically, but…She swallowed. "Th-that doesn't count!" she said.

"Hmm?" asked Joshua, smirking at her. "You didn't say it had to be a secret that you didn't already know."

"That's cheating," she said, frowning. Joshua raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?" he asked, still smirking at her. "Then what did you mean? I'll give you one more chance."

"Tell me a secret that I haven't heard before…" said Rhyme. "If you trust me…"

Joshua placed his hands in his pockets, taking a few steps closer to her. He stopped when he was right in front of her, looking down at her. "…Very well then," he said, his smirk widening. "If those are your rules…" He leaned in closer to her, bending down so that his mouth was near her ear. "…I'll tell you _everything_…" he said in a soft voice, drawing out the last word in a way that made Rhyme freeze, a shivers making their way up and down her spine.

He straightened up, walking over to the wisteria she had been sitting under. He sat down on the ground, motioning for her to come and sit next to him. Rhyme quickly closed her mouth. She hadn't realized that it had fallen open. She walked over to him, sitting next to him and wrapping her arms around her legs. He placed his hands behind him, leaning back.

"But if I'm the only one that talks, it's unfair," he said. "So…how about we modify the rules a little bit? After each secret of mine, you have to tell me one of yours."

He paused. "…If you trust me, that is," he said, still smirking at her.

Rhyme nodded at him. "…You start," she said.

"Alright," said Joshua, frowning in thought. "Hmm…What to say…? When I was younger, I used to hide in that tree." He pointed at the tree directly across from them. "…It was fun watching everyone scramble around looking for me."

Rhyme smiled, looking up at the tree. She could almost imagine a younger Joshua peeking out through the branches, grinning at everyone as they panicked. "…That sounds just like you," she said with a small giggle.

"Does it?" asked Joshua. "Your turn."

"Okay," said Rhyme. "…I'm terrified of spiders."

"Terrified?" asked Joshua, smirking again. "Not just frightened? Not even afraid?"

"Nope," said Rhyme, smiling as she laced her fingers together. "Terrified. Your turn."

"Hmm…" said Joshua, leaning back on his hands. "…I used to be hemophobic."

Rhyme blinked in surprise. "Afraid of blood?" she asked, turning towards him.

"Yes," said Joshua, sounding amused. "Just the sight of it used to make me light-headed. I had a few fainting spells in my elementary school days."

Rhyme tried to imagine Joshua fainting after seeing blood. She giggled. The mental image was just too funny. "How did you get over it?" she asked. He turned towards her, giving her a meaningful look. Rhyme's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh, right," she said. "Joining the UG. How did that happen, anyway?"

"Tut tut," said Joshua, waving a finger at her. "One secret at a time, dear. Your turn."

"Okay," said Rhyme. "…I used to have a _huge _crush on Sesshomaru from _Inuyasha_."

"Really now?" asked Joshua.

"Yep," said Rhyme. "I had a plushie and everything. It was a little embarrassing. Beat used to tease me a lot. It's your turn again."

Joshua tilted his head up, looking up at the bunches of flowers that hung down from overhead. To Rhyme it seemed like his smirk softened a little, the edges leaving so that it was almost, almost, but not quite, a smile.

"…I never learned how to ride a bike," he said.

Rhyme's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked. "Never?"

"No," said Joshua, shaking his head. "Never. It was never necessary, and the one time I tried, I fell down and got a rather nasty cut on my arm. I was still hemophobic at that time, so…"

"I see…" said Rhyme. "I could teach you one of these days, if you like."

"Hmm…" said Joshua, turning his head towards her. "You know…that might not be a bad idea."

"Alright then," said Rhyme. She smiled. "It's my turn, so…"

She paused, looking up at the blank sky, up at the stars that she knew were out there, even though she couldn't see them. She had read so many books that described starry nights, and had seen them in anime before. She knew that they were out there and could even name a few of them by name. But she had lived in Tokyo all her life. The stars would always be abstract concepts to her.

"…I've never seen an actual starry night," she said, smiling faintly. "Because I've never left Tokyo. I think I'd like to someday, though, when I'm older."

She looked up, noticing that Joshua was looking at her. His smirk was gone now, his expression serious. There was a questioning look in his violet eyes. She swallowed, thinking maybe she had said too much. "Uh—um—your turn," she said.

Joshua blinked once at her before nodding, his expression going back to how it was usually. "…I was once cast as Cinderella in a school production," he said.

Rhyme's eyes widened and she burst into a wave of giggles. "You're kidding!" she said. Joshua only smirked, giving her a look and causing Rhyme to giggle more. She placed her hands on the ground to support herself. "You're serious?"

"I wore a very nice lavender dress," said Joshua. "It was quite interesting being the belle of the ball."

"I need to see _pictures _of that!" said Rhyme. Joshua pulled out his cellphone, flipping through something there.

"As you wish," he said, passing her the phone.

Rhyme stared at the picture on the phone and blinked. "Wow…" she said. "You make a prettier girl than I do!"

"Is that so?" asked Joshua, taking the phone back from her. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Rhyme."

There was a pause. Rhyme took a deep breath, realizing that they were sitting very close together now, and Joshua's hand was near hers on the ground, his fingertips lightly brushing her hand. He turned towards her, his eyes searching her face as his hand moved, slowly covering hers. Rhyme's breath caught in her throat. He stopped for a moment, as if waiting for a protest, and when none came, his hand covered hers completely.

"…I believe it's your turn," he said.

Rhyme frowned. What else was there to say? She didn't have that many secrets…except for…But would that be alright? They were having such a lighthearted conversation here. She took a deep breath, noticing that Joshua was watching her expectantly.

"Sometimes…" she said, a faint smile appearing on her face. "…Sometimes I feel like I'm all alone, even when everyone else is around me, because sometimes I feel like I'm the only one that sees things the way I do…and everyone's gonna leave me behind…"

She paused, noticing that there was no comment from Joshua. "But…I…that doesn't happen much anymore," she said, smiling brightly. "So…don't worry about it."

Joshua frowned, a serious look in his eye as he turned towards her. Rhyme's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't seen such a serious look in Joshua's eyes before. Not for a long time. Not since that day when she had fainted in the snow, and he had helped her.

"I understand…" he said, quietly. "I first met Mr. Hanekoma when I was eight. Before then, I thought I was crazy. Because I could see things that nobody else could see. I thought…and I know better now…I thought that my mother left because of me. Because I kept telling her I saw things that weren't real."

Rhyme stared at him. There was pain in those eyes, if only for a moment. Old pain, old wounds. It made her heart ache. What was it like, growing up as Joshua? Believing you were strange or crazy, not knowing why you saw what you saw…Growing up as Rhyme had been difficult, but not too difficult.

Not like this.

Before she knew what she was doing, she had placed a hand on his shoulder. Joshua looked at her, the look in his eyes changing to the same serious look she had seen before. The pain was gone, any traces of it locked deep inside where nobody could reach it. "It's your turn."

"…" Rhyme took a deep breath and slowly removed her hand. "One time, I broke Beat's skateboard," she said, smiling at him to lighten the mood. "I told him the neighbors did it. I don't think he's ever forgiven them." She let out a nervous laugh. Joshua smirked.

"That must have been a sight to see," he said.

"I still feel a little guilty about that," she said, scratching the back of her head.

Joshua frowned, his hand squeezing hers lightly. "I believe I'm all out of secrets," he said. "Is there something you want to hear?"

Rhyme paused for a moment, her smile disappearing. She took a deep breath, turning to face Joshua.

"…What did Kariya say?" she asked. "Last night?"

Joshua frowned, turning towards her. "Ah," he said. "I thought this might be about that." He paused for a moment, as if he was considering his words. "…That Rikushu woman knows you somehow," he said. "She told him to say hello to you for her. I didn't think you needed to hear that before we understood what was going on."

Rhyme frowned, staring down at the ground. So…it was something like that. She should have known. She took a deep breath, fighting back a sudden wave of fear. "I…" she began, shaking her head and trying again. "…I'm a little scared," she admitted. "…But who wouldn't be? I don't want to die again. And she's obviously stronger than me. But…" She looked up at him, smiling faintly.

"…I trust you, Joshua," she said. "I think you'll figure this out. And if I think about it like that, I'm not that scared anymore."

"…Is that so, Rhyme…?" asked Joshua. This time, there was no teasing tone in his voice, no smirk on his face. He was just…looking at her, his hand over hers, his expression unreadable.

"Always," said Rhyme, smiling up at him. She stopped suddenly, her eyes widening. "Oh, um—your turn," she said.

"Alright then," said Joshua, his hand tightening around hers as he paused, his eyes meeting hers. "How about this…" He lowered his voice to something that was almost a whisper, just barely loud enough for her to hear. "…I think…I'm starting to have feelings for you…"

Rhyme's eyes widened as Joshua's free hand moved, going up to her cheek. Did he just…did he say…?

"…Or perhaps," said Joshua, "…Would it be more accurate to say…"

His fingers lightly brushed against her cheek, tucking a few strands of blond hair behind her ear as he moved closer to her, leaning forward.

"…that I think I'm falling in love with you…?"

Rhyme felt her mouth go dry, her heart racing as Joshua leaned forward, his mouth just a few centimeters from her own. His breath ghosted against her lips, warm and soft. Rhyme didn't stop him, remaining frozen in place.

"…But shh," he said, "…It's a secret."

His lips brushed hers lightly, experimentally. And then, when she didn't protest, he leaned forward, kissing her fully, his slowly wrapping around her as he pulled her closer.

_That's alright…_thought Rhyme as her hands moved up, threading slowly through his hair as she hesitantly returned the kiss.

…_Because I'm also…_

The wisteria in full bloom. That was the last thing Rhyme saw as her eyes drifted closed.

…_falling in love with you…_

**Review Responses: **

**Kipper Snack – **Except Joshua has other people to clean his room and feed the dog, leaving him more time to devote to the game, XD. Anyway, thank you very much for the review! I'm really glad you like this and I hope you like this next chapter! And I'm sorry for all the smirks. I'm going to try to limit that as much as possible.

**Read the Avatar – **I could go for some hot cocoa too, except it's like a hundred degrees out here, XD. And yeah, Shiki's not going through the trash, but she isn't planning on letting this go. Let's see where it goes.

**Jaunea – **Oh dear, I hope it's conflicting in a good way and not a bad one ^_^. Anyway, don't worry about it. I appreciate any reviews (except flames, of course, but thankfully I haven't gotten one of those yet.)

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Haha, I'm the same way. I totally need to go over the whole thing and just edit some stuff and tweak a few minor things. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and I'm glad you liked the Shiki part!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	17. Black

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Anyone get the feeling that Rhyme said more than "…because I'm your little sister and you care about me?" in this first scene? XD

Anyway, I'm really glad all of you liked the last chapter. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of fluff in this one, because the theme I randomly picked made it a little difficult, but I promise I'll make it up to you in the next…three or four chapters before the plot starts.

**Theme 05: Black**

"Rhyme?"

Rhyme sat cross-legged on the school rooftop, staring down at the city through the wire fence that stopped students from falling off the roof. She was smiling, the same goofy smile that she had been wearing all day. She still couldn't believe it. Last night, no, early this morning, just a few hours ago, she and Joshua…

"Hello, Rhyme? Rhyme!"

Rhyme jumped, quickly turning around to face Shiki, Neku, and Beat, all three of which were watching her with concern.

"Rhyme, did you hear a word I said?" asked Shiki.

"Um—of course!" said Rhyme, smiling brightly. "Something about shopping, right?"

"You're distracted today," commented Neku, a frown on his face.

Rhyme grinned up at Neku giddily. "I'm just thinking about something," she said, giggling. "It's nothing, really."

"Yo, Rhyme, you feelin' alright?" asked Beat, frowning.

"I'm fine," said Rhyme, smiling. "Everything's fine."

She felt a little tired. She hadn't been able to sleep after that happened in the garden last night. She had managed to walk back to her room at five in the morning, reenter the RG…and promptly jump up and down the room like an idiot, grinning from ear to ear and trapping one of the pillows in a crushing bear hug.

And then this morning, when she was dressed and ready to go to school…

"_Don't make plans for tonight…" _Joshua had said, his trademark smirk on his face as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Ah, if secrecy wasn't so important at the moment she would probably be spinning all over the school. Or squealing like an idiot. As it was, she could only giggle goofily up at Neku, Beat, and Shiki and think _"I know something you don't know~" _.

Well, of course she was going to tell Beat eventually, but she was just thinking of the best way to tell Neku and Shiki without revealing the UG to them. Maybe tomorrow.

Shiki pursed her lips. "Hmm…" she said. "Let's see…goofy smiles, giggling, you're distracted, and Rhyme—are you _blushing_?" She grinned. "You have a boyfriend!"

Beat choked on the soda he was drinking, spraying cola everywhere.

"What?" asked Beat. "Who is he, Rhyme? I'll kill 'im!"

"Aww, Beat!" said Shiki. "She's never gonna tell us now!"

"Nobody gets to date Rhyme without goin' through me first!" said Beat. "That's the rule!"

"That's a stupid rule!" said Shiki. "She's a high school student already!"

"She's _fourteen_!"

"Oh really?" asked Shiki. "When did you start getting interested in girls?"

Beat flushed. "That don't count!" he said. "Phones, back me up here, yo."

"Is it true, Rhyme?" asked Neku, frowning at her.

Rhyme paused for a moment, lacing her fingers together. She didn't want to lie, but…

_Boyfriend. _

She had a _boyfriend_! Rhyme had to clamp her lips down hard to prevent the giggle from escaping. "Um…" she began, twiddling her thumbs.

"It's true, ain't it?" asked Beat, ignoring Shiki's shout of 'I was fifteen when Neku asked me out and you didn't complain then!'. "What's his name? I'll rip him apart!"

Rhyme swallowed. This couldn't end well. "…Um…well…you see…" she said. Shiki turned towards her.

"Come on, Rhyme! Ignore him and just tell the rest of us! Who is it? I'm dying to know!"

Rhyme turned towards Neku, who seemed to have been drowned out by the rest of the conversation. He looked at her and shrugged, the look on his face saying plainly that if she didn't say something, Shiki and Beat would never stop.

"…Um…if I tell Beat, can I tell you two later when I'm ready?"

Shiki's face fell. "…Aww…" she said. "That's no fun…"

"Come on, please?" asked Rhyme with a small smile. "…It's a little embarrassing."

Shiki pouted. "…Alright," she said. "But you're going to tell me before the week is up! That's a promise!"

"Okay, okay," said Rhyme, nervously scratching the back of her neck. At least she bought time. She walked over to Beat, who sat with his arms folded and looked like he was about ready to jump up and go hunting for blood. Rhyme met Shiki's eyes for a moment before kneeling down, whispering in Beat's ear.

"BWAAAAH?" asked Beat suddenly. "No way! No way am I letting my sister go out with—!"

Rhyme frowned, grabbing Beat's ear and pulling it down as she clamped one hand firmly over his mouth. She leaned in, whispering a few more words. She pulled her hand away from his mouth.

Beat blinked. "But he's—," he began.

Rhyme's frown deepened and she whispered something a little more insistent.

"A'ight, a'ight," said Beat, pushing her off him lightly. He still looked furious. "But I still wanna kill him."

"What did you tell him?" asked Neku, looking up at her.

"Oh, just that _nii-chan_ should give him a chance because I'm his little sister and he cares about me," said Rhyme with a sweet smile.

Shiki opened her mouth to ask a question. Neku nudged her in the arm with his elbow and she quickly bit her lip, taking a deep breath. "Uh…so…Rhyme," said Shiki. "Did you want to come with us later?"

Rhyme blinked. "Later?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Shiki. "I finally got Neku to agree to come to 104 with us. Are you coming?"

"Uh…sure," said Rhyme, frowning. "As long as it's right after school."

"It is," said Shiki, nodding. "This is gonna be so much fun! We haven't gone out together in like forever!"

"Yep," said Rhyme, smiling. "Sounds great."

XxXxX

Rhyme frowned, glancing at the clock on her cellphone as Shiki dove back into the Edoga to find the blouse she just _had _to have. It was already 5PM. She opened her message menu, scrolling up to the text message she received after texting that she was going to be hanging out with Shiki and the others for a while.

**That's fine. Just be back by 7, Rhyme dear. Fail and face erasure. -Joshua**

Erasure. Haha, very funny. But that reminded her of something. Wasn't the Game starting today? She frowned, looking around 104. She could see the Player symbol on the door, but then again, it was always there.

Rhyme glanced back into the store at Shiki, but she seemed too busy digging through the bargain bin to notice. And with Neku and Beat bored and off to find the nearest food court…

She frowned, walking out of the building and into the street. No one would notice if she took a quick peek, right? She fished her Player pin out of her pocket, holding it tightly in her hands and closing her eyes. Fragments of thought suddenly rushed at her, coming from everywhere at once. Like listening to every radio station at once, Beat had called it, back when they were playing the Game. She frowned, feeling a few gaps in the crowd. Players. There were definitely Players here.

The Game had started. But something was wrong…weren't the Players getting erased a little too fast?

Rhyme's eyes snapped open as she quickly stopped scanning, looking around. Even without the pin, she could see the Players. It was a little difficult to pick them out from normal people, but they seemed…almost fainter, as if they were slightly transparent.

And a good number of them were disappearing.

"_Don't let your emotions get in the way,"_ Joshua had told her, the first time a Game had been held in Shibuya since she revealed that she could still see Players and Noise. _"The Game is supposed to be difficult. Only a select few are allowed to survive. If you help Players, you're not doing the world any favors."_

But even so…wasn't it too difficult for the first day? Even _if _Uzuki was the Game Master.

She glanced back at the shop, but Shiki wasn't looking for her yet, and there was no sign of Neku or Beat in sight. Rhyme closed her eyes again, scanning. She shut out the wave of thoughts, focusing instead on the Noise symbols she could see. Red noise and yellow noise, same as always. What was going on that—

Rhyme froze as she suddenly zeroed in on two black Noise symbols heading straight towards her, quickly breaking the scan and opening her eyes before they could reach her. She took a deep breath, taking a step back. Her hands were trembling.

Black Noise symbols.

Black.

Taboo Noise! Here? Now?

She quickly pulled out her cellphone, glancing around furtively to make sure that no one was watching, and pressing the phone to her ear. She dialed and it rang once, twice.

"Need something, Rhyme?"said Joshua on the other end of the line.

"…I'm at 104," said Rhyme. "I can't talk long, I just snuck away. There's Taboo Noise all over the place."

There was a pause. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure," said Rhyme, lowering her voice to a whisper as a pair of Players ran past her and into the building, one of them muttering something about not being able to scan her. "I saw at least two black Noise symbols."

"Alright," said Joshua. "…I'm afraid we're going to have to cancel dinner, Rhyme. Meet me at the scramble as soon as you can get away."

"…Okay," said Rhyme, taking a deep breath. She was looking forward to dinner, but erasing Taboo Noise was more important. Hopefully she was ready for this.

"Don't scan again," warned Joshua.

"…I got it," said Rhyme, looking up in alarm as Shiki walked out the doors, her arms full of shopping bags. "I have to go. Bye."

She quickly hung up, slipping the phone into her pocket and smiling at Shiki as she walked up to her.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Shiki. "I got you a hat."

"Thanks," said Rhyme, smiling. "I just thought I saw someone I knew, that's all."

"Oh…really?" asked Shiki.

"Yep," said Rhyme. "Let's go find the guys!"

XxXxX

As soon as she could break away, Rhyme excused herself from the group, quickly slipping into the UG and heading towards the scramble crossing. Joshua stood there, leaning against the post that held the traffic signals and checking his phone. He looked up as she arrived.

"Sorry," said Rhyme, taking deep breaths and resting her hands on her knees as she panted. "Shiki wanted to go for ice cream."

"I take it from the threatening text messages I've gotten that Beat knows?" asked Joshua.

Rhyme laughed nervously. "Shiki cornered me. I had to tell him. Sorry."

"That's alright," said Joshua, with a smirk. "Tell your brother that there's no "z" in 'prissy'."

Rhyme gave another nervous laugh. That sounded like Beat, alright. Joshua straightened up, glancing around.

"Well, by now all the surviving Players should be asleep and the Reapers should be heading home. So…shall we?"

Rhyme hesitated. Joshua turned towards her.

"Are you ready for this, Rhyme?" he asked.

Rhyme gulped. "I…um…I'm a little worried, I guess. But I won't know until we try, right? And you'll be there too."

"Mm," said Joshua, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. "Remember, Taboo Noise don't take much damage unless you have the light puck."

"Alright," said Rhyme. "So we should keep it moving between us as fast as possible."

"And the one who has it should try and deal the most damage."

"I understand," said Rhyme.

"Alright," said Joshua, smirking at her. "Scan when you're ready."

Rhyme nodded, pulling out her Player pin. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, tuning out to everything else. As always, the wave of thoughts from the crowd around her hit her like a ton of bricks and she had to fight hard not to get swept away in the flow. Once that moment was over, though, she could see the Noise clearly.

And the Taboo Noise, zeroing in on her like a moth to a flame.

They reached her, quickly stacking up on top of one another. There was a flash, and then she and Joshua seemed to turn into separate beams of light, one going up and the other going down.

When she opened her eyes, she was standing by herself in the center of the scramble, three black frogs and one wolf surrounding her. Her pins floated just above her hand, spinning around slowly.

"_Think you can handle this, Rhyme?" _she heard Joshua ask teasingly, almost as if he was right beside her.

She frowned in concentration, tossing her four pins in the air as the battle began. They spun around, bumping into each other as she nudged them into position. There was a flash as a beam of light threaded itself from between the pins, knocking back some of the Taboo Noise.

A blue puck formed around her, heading up towards Joshua.

"It's all yours, Joshua," said Rhyme, jumping back quickly as one of the frogs jumped at her and firing off another beam of light. She could hear loud crashing sounds from somewhere above her as she tried to dodge and block as much as possible. There was a pause, and then the light puck sank back down towards her.

Rhyme grabbed it in her hand, quickly firing off another beam of light and sending the Taboo Noise flying around her. She managed to get in another hit before the light puck flew back up towards Joshua, one of the frogs knocking her to the ground. Rhyme let out a shout of pain, reaching out with one hand towards one of the motorcycles that lay nearby. It flew up, crashing into the Noise and pushing them off her.

"Finish it!" she said.

"…_As you wish, milady." _

There was a loud crackling sound, beams of blue light breaking the barrier between the two zones and crashing down on the Noise on her side as well. There was a keening high pitched noise, and then the Noise disappeared. Rhyme quickly picked herself up off the ground as the second battle began, the light puck descending down towards her as two wolves appeared this time.

She clenched her fists, the pins above her head spinning around and around in a circle before raining down a beam of light at the Taboo Noise wolves. The light puck left her, heading up towards Joshua. More crashing sounds echoed from above. Rhyme quickly dashed away from one of the wolves as it tried to attack her, throwing as many random items as she could at the wolves as her pins recharged. When the puck hit her again, she fired off two beams, before sending it back at Joshua. There were a few more crashing sounds.

The light puck rushed down towards her.

"_Go ahead, Rhyme. Take care of it." _

"I'll do my best."

Rhyme grabbed hold of the light puck, focusing hard as she sent off another beam. It crashed into one of the wolves dead center, going on to crash into the second. There was a flash, and then those Noise were erased as well.

"_Need a break yet, Rhyme?" _asked Joshua teasingly.

Rhyme didn't answer as the third battle started. The two of them passed the puck to each other with lightning speed, the battle ending quickly. Rhyme paused to catch her breath, her hands on the ground.

"The next battle's the last one," she said, through clenched teeth.

"_Mm…" _said Joshua. _"Let's finish this. I believe I'm starting to break a sweat." _

Rhyme took a deep breath. More than anything, she needed a drink of water. Or soda. Why hadn't she thought to bring the soda pin with her? The last battle began and Rhyme's eyes narrowed as she rushed at the Taboo Noise, her pins glinting in the fading sunlight as a beam of light crisscrossed over the field, slamming into them.

By the time it was all over, the sun had set and the lights had gone on around scramble crossing. Rhyme took a deep breath, swaying unsteadily on her feet and nearly falling over as she shifted from the UG to the RG. Joshua caught her, placing his hands on her arms to steady her as she swayed, her beanie falling off.

"Still alive?" asked Joshua, smirking down at her.

"Y-yeah," said Rhyme, with a nervous giggle. "I'm just a little dizzy, I think." She shrugged out of Joshua's grasp, spinning around unsteadily before crashing unceremoniously onto the crossing. People passed her on all sides, but none of them really looked at her, the crowd parting around her as she laughed.

"Okay, very dizzy," she said as Joshua helped her up. "Are we done?"

"At the crossing," said Joshua. "But I'm playing a game with the Conductor at the moment."

"Kariya-san?" asked Rhyme, leaning against him as she tried to steady herself. "What kind of game?"

"I bet that you and I could erase more Taboo Noise tonight than him and Uzuki," said Joshua, smirking. "A simple challenge, that's all."

"Joshua!" said Rhyme. "Why did you bet something like that?"

"Because it sounded like fun," said Joshua, his smirk never once leaving his face. "The prize is yet to be decided. Do you need a break?"

"I'm alright," said Rhyme. "The dizziness is passing." She straightened up, shaking her head. "Honestly, I don't even feel tired anymore. It feels like how it did during the Game, when after you fight the Noise you go back to normal."

"That's how it always is," said Joshua. "But I'll admit, it can get a little wearying at times."

"I'll be fine," said Rhyme, smiling. "Where to next?"

"Well, you decide," said Joshua. "Would you prefer Hachiko, 104, Center Street, or the department store."

Rhyme frowned. "Which area of the city did Kariya and Uzuki start in?" she asked.

"Cat Street," said Joshua.

"…Then we'll go to Center Street," said Rhyme. "And we'll try and reach Cadoi City before they do."

Joshua gave her an approving look, nodding his head. "Sounds like a—." He paused suddenly, glancing at something to his right.

Rhyme stopped and stared. Neku and Shiki stood in the crowd, staring at them with wide eyes. Rhyme blinked, realizing that Joshua still had a steadying hand on her arm. She let out a squeak, jumping back.

**Review Responses: **

**Lewnuhhkau – **I'm really glad you like it! And yeah, I'm updating fast because part of me wants to finish it so I can get my life back, and the other part of me wants to finish it because I have soooo many ideas for one-shots that if I wrote now, would completely spoil the plot of this story. Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this chapter!

**Read the Avatar – **Haha, thanks XD I have no idea what I was thinking when I thought it up, but when I did, I was like "I have to put that in there!" I'm glad you liked it! Thanks so much for your support.

**Jaunea – **No! Don't die! I don't want your blood on my hands, haha. *accepts badge* Thank you very much! I'm so glad you liked that. I'm sorry for the lack of fluff in this chapter, but the plot must go on…and they had to get caught some time, XD. Fluffiness in the next, I promise.

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **I can't remember the first Joshyme I ever read either, but I remember that ROR was one of them. And actually one that convinced me that this pairing had potential. I was a little skeptical at first, to be honest. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Chloe5500 – **Thanks! I'm glad you like it! Hope you like this new chapter!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Aww, don't worry about not reviewing the last chapter. I forgive you. Although I'm a little relieved that I got more than four reviews this time. After three chapters in a row, it was a little worrying, especially since "four means death" and that's the theme in a lot of Rhyme's dreams. Haha, we're probably thinking about the same episode in Fruits Basket then. The one where he gives her the ribbon?

And yeah, the Cinderella thing caused me to have a giggle fit too. Thanks for the review!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	18. Happy

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Poor Rhyme. Joshua keeps making Neku squirm at her expense. There's a scene here dedicated to **Kipper Snack**, because he suggested it. ^_^ Also, I know there's no food place in Cadoi City. Bear with me on this one.

It's occurred to me that after two chapters, I really need a scene in Josh's POV. It's just that Rhyme's POV is so perfect for these scenes. Anyway, sorry for the late update. I was at the beach.

**Theme 22: Happy**

There was silence in their little pocket of the scramble crossing. All around them, people walked and talked, brushing past them as if the four of them were in the UG again. If they _were _in the UG, though, it would be a lot simpler.

It was Joshua who spoke first, a smirk returning to his face as he brushed back his hair with a wave of his hand. "My," he said. "Neku. This is a surprise."

Rhyme gave a weak chuckle, lacing her fingers together. "Um…hi, guys," she said, curling her fingers towards Neku and Shiki in a halfhearted wave.

"Joshua?" asked Shiki, incredulous, "_That's _who you were talking about?"

"You were in the UG, weren't you?" asked Neku, his eyes narrowing at the two of them. "Rhyme. Are you d—?"

"No!" said Rhyme a little too quickly, interrupting Neku and shaking her head. "I'm not dead."

"I certainly hope not," said Joshua, taking Rhyme's hand and flashing Neku and Shiki a teasing grin. "Otherwise I've been doing a horrible job."

Neku did not look amused. This was going downhill faster than Rhyme thought it would. She shifted nervously, resisting the urge to glance at her watch. And they were losing time too…

"…You're a Reaper," said Neku after a while.

"Neku!" exclaimed Shiki, grabbing onto his arm as if she wanted to pull him back. Neku ignored her, his eyes landing on Rhyme. She gulped.

"N-No!" said Rhyme. "I'm not a Reaper! I—." She paused, giving Joshua a questioning look.

"Only if you want to be, dear," said Joshua, bringing her hand up to his mouth and letting his lips brush against the back of her hand lightly. If Neku wasn't giving Joshua a glare that seemed like it could vaporize him on the spot, Rhyme would have flushed. "But, Rhyme? Might I suggest you start as Support? You'd make a terrible Harrier."

Rhyme stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, before quickly snapping out of it and turning towards Neku. "I'm not a Reaper," she said.

"What did you do to her?" asked Neku, rounding onto Joshua.

"I believe I may have permanently corrupted her mind."

"Oh, stop it!" said Rhyme. Neku looked like he was out for blood, and if Shiki glanced between the three of them any faster, Rhyme was sure her eyes would fall out. She turned to Neku. "He didn't do anything to me. I've been seeing Players and Noise since I got back. Partnering with Joshua was just—."

"Her fault, actually," said Joshua, pointing at Rhyme and still smirking. "She helped herself. I believe that's…would you call it karma?"

"Since you got back…?" repeated Shiki, a worried look on her face. "Rhyme…why didn't you say anything?"

Rhyme swallowed. Shiki still had a restraining hand on Neku's arm. "…I didn't want you guys to worry…" she said. "And then Joshua…and I had to tell Beat…and now there's Taboo Noise, and…it's a very long story, and we kind of have to…"

Joshua nodded, tapping his watch. "Tick tock," he said. "I don't particularly want to be at the mercy of Koki Kariya and Uzuki Yashiro. Do you?"

"…Y-You're the one that made the bet in the first place…" said Rhyme.

"Yes, and now you're part of it," said Joshua, turning towards Center Street. "They should have finished Cat Street by now."

"Mm, I know," said Rhyme, nodding. "Just…one second." She turned towards Neku and Shiki. Neku's expression softened. He looked almost deflated.

"You should have said something, Rhyme," he said.

Rhyme gulped. "I know," she said. "But the Game was so hard for you, and I didn't want to bring you back there, and I…"

"Rhyme!" called Joshua.

Rhyme jumped, shaking her head. "I-I'm sorry. I—we have to…"

Neku and Shiki exchanged glances.

"Go…" said Neku, after a while.

"But tomorrow…" said Shiki.

"I'll explain everything!" said Rhyme. "WildKat at 10, if that's okay?"

"We'll be there," said Neku.

Rhyme nodded, turning around and running towards Joshua.

XxXxX

The next day, Rhyme sat at a table in WildKat in front of Neku and Shiki, rubbing her eyes. She didn't feel hurt or anything, since all injuries seemed to disappear after the Noise that caused them was erased, but she did feel very tired. She didn't know what time she and Joshua finally finished erasing their share of the Taboo Noise all over Shibuya. They had somehow managed to beat Kariya and Uzuki too, which meant that Kariya was in charge of looking for the source of the Taboo Noise.

_Be thankful for small miracles…_she told herself, staring down at her empty mug of coffee.

"Here you go, Skulls Jr.," said Mr. H, leaning over and refilling her cup.

"Thanks," said Rhyme, smiling tiredly up at Mr. H.

"No problem," said Mr. H, patting her on the head and ruffling her hair through her beanie. Rhyme grinned, readjusting the hat and looking back up at Neku and Shiki.

"…So…that's it," she said, reaching for the sugar and creamer on the table and pouring some into her cup. She picked up one of the stirring straws, spinning it around a few times.

"…You should have said something, Rhyme," said Shiki, a look of concern on her face. "I mean…we're your friends. If we can't deal with things like this…"

"…I know…" said Rhyme. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Shiki…Neku…I just…when Neku got back, I could see that the Game was really hard on him…and I know that he just wanted it to be over…so I…"

"…It wouldn't matter," said Neku. "If you had said something…we could have helped you."

"I'm sorry…" said Rhyme, taking another sip.

Shiki sighed. "It's okay, Rhyme…" she said. "So…what's going on between you and Joshua?"

Rhyme swallowed hard, nearly burning her tongue on her coffee. She put down her cup, waving her hand in front of her mouth and sticking her tongue out. "Ow…" she said, looking up at Neku and Shiki. "Um…we're…"

"You're together aren't you?" asked Shiki.

Rhyme blushed. "Uh..." she said. "…I guess."

Arms suddenly wrapped around her neck from behind. Rhyme let out a squeak, turning around. She saw silver hair and stiffened.

"Aww, Rhyme," said Joshua in a teasing tone, smirking across the table at Neku. "Don't be shy."

"J-Joshua?" she asked. "Where did you come from?"

"That's not important," said Joshua. "…What did I miss?"

Shiki looked embarrassed. "Um…I was just asking Rhyme if you two…"

"Were together?" asked Joshua. "Well, I suppose. I didn't hear any complaints the other night. Isn't that right, dear?" He leaned in closer, pressing his cheek against hers. Shiki turned bright red at the same time as Rhyme did. Even Neku suddenly looked uncomfortable, his eyes wide.

"The other n-night?" she asked.

"N-Nothing like that happened!" said Rhyme, shaking her head and waving her hands furiously. "W-We just—We were talking, that's all!"

"I seem to remember a little more than talking," said Joshua, with a small frown.

"J-Joshua, stop it!" said Rhyme. She hastily turned to Shiki and Neku, who were still watching them wide-eyed. "It was nothing like that! Honest! We just—we just—."

"Kissed," finished Joshua for her. "Once. Twice." He shrugged ambiguously, waving a hand in the air. He let go of her, straightening up.

"_Joshua_!" said Rhyme.

"What?" asked Joshua. "It's the truth, isn't it?"

Rhyme quickly looked back at Neku and Shiki, her face burning.

XxXxX

Joshua leaned against the counter, flipping his phone open and closed with one hand as he watched Rhyme hurriedly show her two friends the door. He smirked. From the way her shoulders were tense and her face was red, he had a feeling that he was "in for it". But who would have thought being in a relationship would actually be fun?

"Did you have to do that?" asked Rhyme, turning towards him once she made sure the doors were closed.

From behind him, Mr. Hanekoma placed one hand on his shoulder and grinned, before making a stealthy retreat to the back room and leaving them alone in the café. Oh well. It looked like he would be receiving no aid from that quarter.

"Do what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he attempted to keep an innocent and confused expression on his face. He had a feeling he failed horribly. He would have to keep observing how she managed it then.

"You know what," said Rhyme, folding her arms and walking over to him as she glanced at the door. Her face was red. It was almost…what was the word for it? Cute? "Now they have the wrong idea!"

"…Shall we make it the right idea, then?" asked Joshua teasingly, taking a step closer towards her.

"_Joshua!" _

If her face turned any redder, he was sure she was going to have a stroke or something. Her hands balled up into fists and for a moment he wondered if Rhyme would actually hit him. He sighed, placing his hand under her chin and lightly tilting her head up to face him.

"Alright," he said. "I apologize. Is that better?"

She swallowed. He could feel the tension leaving her slowly. Finally, she nodded.

"Good," he said, releasing her. "Now…if you don't mind, could you tell me why you used our prize on having Kariya and Uzuki find the source of the Taboo Noise?"

Rhyme blinked at him for a moment, before giggling slightly. "Oh," she said. "That? Um…I thought since we needed to find the source anyway, they might as well do it since they lost, and it'll free up some time…"

"Mm," said Joshua, nodding once. That made sense. He could think of other things he wanted to do on a Saturday, things that didn't involve walking all over Shibuya looking for the source of Taboo Noise. And he was sure that Kariya would be extremely annoyed at having to do the legwork. He looked down at Rhyme, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And we never did get to have dinner," he said.

Although it had been amusing to see Kariya and Uzuki's faces when they finally arrived at Cadoi City to see Rhyme and Joshua sitting on the sidewalk eating and all the Taboo Noise in the area erased, hotdogs and soda wasn't quite the dinner he had envisioned. Uzuki's crestfallen face and Rhyme's sudden bright smile and wave had been icing on the top of the cake though. And then it had been a race to finish up the rest of the city.

"…Mm," said Rhyme, nodding.

"Then how about we reschedule?" asked Joshua. "You don't have any plans for tonight, do you?"

Rhyme paused to think about it. "No," she said. "No plans. I was gonna hang out with Beat this afternoon, but that shouldn't last too long."

Joshua nodded. "Good," he said, taking her by the hand and leading her out of the café. His smirk widened. "…I happen to know this restaurant…"

"…Would this restaurant happen to be in the same area that Kariya and Uzuki will be looking through tonight?" asked Rhyme with a smile, looking up at him as they walked out the door.

His hand tightened around hers as he turned his head towards her. "…I was thinking we could get a table by the window," he said, "As long as you don't mind being visible from the street, of course."

"Mm…I think that'll be okay," she said with a small giggle. He smirked, turning towards her and leaning in to kiss her lightly.

…He really needed to stop rubbing off on her.

XxXxX

Rhyme giggled as she walked down the sidewalk, zipping up her jacket. She was grateful that Joshua hadn't taken her somewhere _too _fancy—she was still recovering from the party and that Pegaso dress. The restaurant he had taken her to wasn't a fast food place, but it wasn't somewhere she felt uncomfortable just sitting in either. Of course, she hadn't worn her usual loose clothes, but she had managed to dig up a Natural Puppy shirt that someone had bought for her and had worn that and a pair of jeans.

It had been a good evening. Even after Uzuki's frustrated shout as she spotted them from the street.

Rhyme stopped at the street corner as the traffic lights changed, turning around to face Joshua, who was walking behind her. "Thanks for dinner tonight," she said, smiling with her hands clasped behind her back.

"You're welcome," said Joshua, standing beside her as they waited for the lights to change again. They had taken a short cut through some of the smaller, and less congested side streets. Joshua had offered to call for the car to pick them up, but Rhyme had declined, saying that she would rather walk.

Rhyme smiled, crossing the street as soon as the lights changed. She reached out, timidly taking Joshua's hand. It had taken a bit of explaining, but she had managed to set Neku and Shiki straight, at least, so she was in a good mood. And she got Beat to promise not to send any more threatening text messages. All in all, a good day. She was absolutely certain that nothing could go wrong.

_Crack!_

…Maybe she shouldn't have spoken too soon.

XxXxX

Thunder suddenly tore through the sky above them, rain pouring down. The few people that were in the street with them immediately ran for cover, heading into the stores that surrounded the street or huddling under awnings. Some people pulled out umbrellas and shook their heads, continuing to walk. Joshua frowned, pulling his hand out of Rhyme's and reaching for his cellphone as rain battered down around him and soaked through his clothes.

Really, of all the things that could go wrong. And the weather report forecasted clear skies too.

"I'm calling for Nori," he said, turning his back to Rhyme and waving offhandedly for her to find something to stand under.

_Splash_.

Water suddenly splashed over him, infused with a few sparks of blue light. Joshua coughed and wiped the water out of his eyes, turning around to face Rhyme. She stood facing him, her hands extended and a playful grin on her face. Blue light flared outwards from her, the rainwater suddenly moving forward and splashing over him. She was in the UG now…how had he not noticed that?

Oh…so that was how she wanted to play.

Joshua smirked, slipping his phone into his pocket. He touched it once, a layer of blue light surrounding it and protecting it from the rain as he subtly shifted from the RG to the UG. "Now, now, Rhyme," he said, pushing his wet hair out of his face. "That isn't nice."

As he said that, the water around her suddenly splashed up, hitting her from all sides. Rhyme let out a small shriek, giggling slightly and running down the street. She turned around, splashing him with some of the rainwater as she ran.

XxXxX

She really didn't know what had come over her, but she had a feeling she was in trouble now. Rhyme ran down the street, turning around as Joshua rounded the corner after her. She extended her hand, the water on the street flattening out and causing Joshua to slip. He quickly righted himself, beginning to levitate.

The rain around her suddenly twisted inwards. Rhyme reached up and blocked it with one hand, shielding herself as the blast of water parted around her. There was a pause and then the water regrouped behind her, hitting her from behind. Rhyme quickly ran forward, a grin on her face as she ducked into one of the side streets. There were still people here—there were always people in Shibuya, but like this, in the UG, it was almost like the two of them were the only people here.

She ducked into one of the awnings and hid behind two people that were standing there, extending her hand and stopping some of the rainwater from sliding down the awnings. Joshua rounded the corner, looking for her, and Rhyme felt a triumphant smile come onto her face as she released the barriers, the rainwater quickly sliding down and falling on him. He quickly turned towards her and she took off down the street, running into the Molco area.

She looked around but couldn't see him. Rhyme took a deep breath, leaning against the back of the infamous phone booth to hide.

"Found you," said a familiar teasing voice from beside her, a hand closing around her arm. Rhyme let out a squeak, turning around quickly. She lost her balance, falling backwards onto the street and dragging her captor down with her.

Rhyme opened her eyes, a pink tinge spreading across her cheeks as she saw violet. Joshua took a deep breath, placing his hands on either side of her to brace himself so that he wasn't crushing her. The rain continued to fall from above, although both of them were already too soaked to care. The street was wet, ripples forming on the top of the water as rain continued to fall.

Joshua stared down at her for a moment before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. Rhyme lifted her head slightly to return the kiss, her eyes closing as the rain poured down around them. Another flash of lightning lit the sky. After a while, Joshua pulled away, straightening up into a sitting position and holding his hand out to help her up as well.

Rhyme sat up, her cheeks flushed.

"I hope you weren't planning on calling someone else," said Joshua, gesturing towards the phone booth.

Rhyme blinked, realizing where she had chosen to hide. The phone booth at Molco.

"...Of course not," she said with a smile. "Who else would I call?"

"Good," said Joshua, standing up. He turned towards her, extending a hand to help her up. She looked up at him, her eyes widening in surprise.

Joshua was smiling.

Not smirking. Smiling.

The smile on his face was faint, but it was there. To Rhyme it seemed to light up the whole town, making it so that even the thunder, lightning, and rain seemed perfect. He looked down at her, tilting his head slightly.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

It was the first time she had ever seen him smile.

"Nothing," she said, smiling in return. She reached up, taking his hand and pulling herself up.

"Let's head back before Father sends out a search party, then," said Joshua.

"Mm," said Rhyme, her fingers slipping into his as they walked down the street.

**Review Responses: **

**0athk33p3r and 0b1ivi0n – **Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! I'm always happy to provide the cuteness overload. And yes, thanks very much for the 100th review!

**iandin123 – **Thanks for reviewing both chapters! I'm glad you liked them. And yep, I was smiling as I imagined Rhyme and her goofy smiles.

**The Legendaerie LT – **Yay! You got the first review! Sorry this chapter is kinda late, I was at the beach and didn't get much of a chance to write. And my inspiration kinda failed halfway through, so yeah…But I'm glad you like it. I always fail horribly when writing Shiki for some reason. I hope I can get that better. (Although my excuse for this chapter was she probably wasn't pretending to be Eri when she made Neku take his shorts off in the middle of Shibuya XD)

**Read the Avatar – **Haha, it probably went something like that. In fact, now that you mention it, I can so imagine that happening. Thanks for the review!

**Chloe5500 – **Glad you like it! Thanks for the review and thank you very much for reading.

**Kipper Snack – **I thought they ate it in the Game and the food just got digested during the fights? Well, anyway, they did grab a bite to eat, and I included that scene just for you ^_^ Although I had already written the stuff so the most I could do was write it into the narrative. Thanks so much for your review!

**AntiSora – **Wow, so many reviews! You made me very happy XD. I'm glad you like it, especially the plot and all of that. I was just going to do it like it normally is, but I had the idea for the plot and I couldn't resist. It's about to get interesting in the next few chapters, but for now, I've decided to slow it down and make it a little fluffy.

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	19. Taste

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **And here we go, the newest chapter! This is the 18th theme out of 30, so things are really going to start to heat up, plot-wise. I have about one more chapter left before the plot kicks off in a big way. Thanks for all your support everyone!

**Theme 26: Taste**

Rhyme kicked her legs back and forth, her hands resting on the seat on either side of her as she frowned down at the chessboard. She reached out a tentative hand, moving one of the white knights in an L-shape.

"Check," she said, looking up at Joshua.

Joshua frowned, cupping his chin with one hand and staring down at the board. He sat across from her in the study. The chess set was set up on the coffee table between them, the room lit by the sunshine coming in through the large windows to her left. He reached out, moving one of the black pieces into position.

"Checkmate," he said, leaning back into the couch and crossing his legs smugly. Rhyme stared down at the board, her eyes wide. She hadn't noticed it, but the whole time she thought she was winning, Joshua was actually setting her up, goading her to attack.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"The key," said Joshua, with a smirk, "is to make your opponent think they've beaten you. Once they think they've won, they become overconfident and more prone to making mistakes. Never underestimate the advantage you get when your opponent underestimates you."

"Yoshiya Kiryu's Art of War?" asked Rhyme with a small giggle.

"More or less," said Joshua. He glanced at the clock. "Aren't you going to be late?"

Rhyme frowned, glancing at the clock as well. She stood up. "I'll just text one of them and tell them I'll be about five minutes late," she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and readjusting her beanie.

"I could ask Nori to take you," said Joshua. "He doesn't have to drive Father to his meeting for another hour."

"That's fine," said Rhyme, smiling. She grabbed a messenger bag off of one of the armchairs, slipping it on. "I don't mind walking. Thanks for the game."

Joshua waved a dismissive hand, still smirking. "It was fun." He flipped his phone open, looking at the clock. "I'll be going in a bit too. The mission for Day 3 should start in an hour."

"Will you be watching from the street?" asked Rhyme as she tugged at the strap of her messenger bag. Joshua shook his head.

"I'll be sitting in the Room of Reckoning listening to Uzuki nag Kariya," he said, rolling his eyes. "Should be 'fun'."

"Well, drop by anytime," said Rhyme. "You know where we'll be."

"I just might take you up on that offer," said Joshua.

Rhyme smiled, stepping lightly around the table and leaning down to give him a quick kiss. She straightened up, her cheeks slightly pink. "See you."

"Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary," said Joshua, turning his head to watch her leave. Rhyme stopped at the doorway, grinning and waving her hand. "I will!" she promised, taking off at a quick walk down the hall.

She stopped in the doorway, reaching down to grab her sneakers. Rhyme placed one hand on the wall to balance herself, hopping up and down on one leg as she tried to slide her right foot into the shoe. She let out a small squeak as she nearly fell over, quickly grabbing onto the wall to hold herself up.

"You're going out, Bito-san?" asked a voice from the doorway.

Rhyme frowned, straightening up. Masayoshi stood in the door, dressed in a business suit with the overcoat still unbuttoned. She smiled, clasping her hands behind her back. "Yep," she said. "I'm going out with my friends today."

Masayoshi frowned. "Shopping?" he asked.

"Mm, maybe," said Rhyme, reaching down to pick up her left shoe. She frowned, noticing that the fabric was beginning to tear. She wondered if she could fix it with duct tape or something later. Duct tape seemed to fix everything. "Shiki likes to shop, but I don't think Neku will be too thrilled about the idea." She made it a point not to mention Beat. He was still supposed to be "out of town for the week".

"What about you?" asked Masayoshi.

"…I don't mind," said Rhyme, smiling as she slipped her shoe on. She knelt down to tie her shoelaces. "Um…I don't usually buy stuff, but I like talking to Shiki."

"Do you need any money?" asked Masayoshi, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet.

"No, that's alright," said Rhyme, straightening up and adjusting her messenger bag. "I've been saving." She smiled.

"You're sure?" asked Masayoshi. There was something odd about him today. Rhyme frowned. She couldn't quite place it, but he seemed to be acting…different?

"I'm sure, Mr. Kiryu," said Rhyme, smiling. "Um…I'm going to be late, so I have to go. But good luck at your meeting!"

"Of course," said Masayoshi, frowning as he put his wallet away. "Thank you. Have fun with your friends, Bito-san."

"Thanks!" said Rhyme, grinning as she ran off down the paved walkway and toward the gate.

XxXxX

The moment Rhyme was gone, Joshua stepped out of the shadows, his arms folded and his eyes narrowed as he faced his father.

"What game are you playing?" asked Joshua, watching from the door as Rhyme ran down the street and disappeared from view. Masayoshi turned around to face him, not looking at all surprised that he had been standing there the whole time.

"Just…checking," said Masayoshi with a small frown. "I'm looking out for you, Joshua."

"And?" asked Joshua, an edge in his voice. "Are you satisfied?"

Masayoshi glanced out the door. "She seems very…genuine," he said, after a while.

Joshua rolled his eyes. "You can try to bait her with money, but it's not going to work," he said. "She's oblivious. And you saw her at that party. Status just makes her uncomfortable. Not everyone that gets close to this family is after those two things."

"Most people are," said Masayoshi, turning to face him. "You know that."

"Not Rhyme."

He surprised himself by how quickly the words left his mouth, and how much conviction there was in them. Masayoshi frowned at him.

"And you're so sure of that?" he asked.

"If you don't believe me," said Joshua, the corners of his lips turning up in a smirk. "Feel free to see for yourself."

XxXxX

Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, Joshua had said, and that was what Rhyme did. While the four of them were hanging out, she had stopped every now and then to scan the area, making sure that there were no Taboo Noise left, but after an hour, there was still nothing. She frowned, staring down at her phone as she stood under an awning with Neku and Shiki, waiting for Beat to come back with the food.

Neku had his earphones on. She could hear the familiar beats of Owari-Hajimari even from where she was standing. Shiki turned towards her.

"…You're texting him?" asked Shiki, gesturing at Rhyme's phone.

Rhyme didn't need to ask who she was talking about. "Ah—no," said Rhyme. "Just thinking about stuff." She watched idly as one of the Support Reapers in a red hoodie took down a wall for a pair of Players. All of this happened while the people around the Players simply walked through the wall and the Reaper like he wasn't there.

Living in the RG and being able to see the UG…well, it made for an interesting experience. Especially since she wasn't dead and she wasn't a Reaper…but she did have a partner.

She wondered what that made her.

"Something up?" asked Shiki. "You're a little distracted out here."

"…Um, just looking," said Rhyme. "…It's Day 3 of the Reaper's Game, so it's a little distracting."

"Who's Game Master?"

Rhyme looked up at Neku. She didn't even realize he could still hear her with those earphones on like that. As Rhyme watched, Neku turned a dial on the earphones down so that he could hear her.

"Um…Uzuki," said Rhyme.

Neku winced. "And there are still Players around?"

Rhyme scratched the back of her head. "Um…I think, about ten? From what I heard, she's not too happy about that. And the current leading pair is two girls, one that wears a lot of Lapin Angelique and the other that likes Mus Rattus…so she's mad."

"Mm," said Neku, looking up and down the street. "Glad I'm not part of _that _anymore."

"Yeah, me too," said Shiki. "She was kinda scary."

_Still is, actually…_thought Rhyme with a nervous smile. It was a good thing she had Kariya to keep her in check. She paused, staring down at the Player pin in her hand. She wasn't supposed to need it to scan anymore, but…it felt familiar. She'd rather use it.

"Hey, Neku?" asked Rhyme.

"Hmm?" asked Neku.

"…Um…that time in the Game when the Taboo Noise showed up…I don't really remember much because I was still a Noise then…but they didn't go away until after Minamimoto was ki—erased, right?"

Neku frowned in thought, shaking his head. "Yeah. As long as he was around, he just kept making more."

"That's what I thought," said Rhyme, frowning slightly as she looked back out at the street. They still hadn't found who summoned the Taboo Noise. So for the Taboo Noise to just disappear…well, that meant that whoever summoned them in the first place just stopped.

It was like they were being let off easy.

…Or like they were being warned.

A taste of what was yet to come?

There was still that one Reaper that she remembered Mr. H mentioning—the one that Joshua had tracked down before she got involved in this whole thing. But Joshua said that he was erased, so who was doing this now? And why?

"Yo!" shouted Beat as he exited the fast food restaurant. "I got the food!"

"Finally," said Shiki with a small grin. "We thought you got lost on your way to the counter!"

"The line was long as hell, man!" said Beat. "S'like everyone's gotta eat here today."

Rhyme smiled, accepting her burger from Beat. She unwrapped it, taking a bite. Maybe she was overreacting. She just needed to be thankful for small blessings.

XxXxX

Rhyme licked at her ice cream cone, watching as Beat showed off his newest skateboard move. She smiled. She had already seen it two or three times before, so she watched from the back of the group this time, slowly eating at her ice cream cone. It was a little later in the afternoon already and the Game had closed up shop for the day. The Reapers were going home and all the surviving Players were, presumably, asleep.

She never did get a straight answer as to where they went when they were asleep.

"Boo," said a voice from behind her.

"Eek!" Rhyme jumped, nearly dropping her ice cream cone. She tightened her grip on it, turning around. "Joshua!"

Joshua smirked, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "You're jumpy today," he said.

"I was thinking," said Rhyme, taking a small bit of her ice cream. "How was the Game?"

"Mm…I'm beginning to seriously question the acoustics in the Room of Reckoning," he said, rubbing at his ear and frowning. "I think Uzuki's shrieking may have contributed to some hearing loss."

"…So I guess that means there are still Players in the Game?" asked Rhyme.

"Eight," replied Joshua, distractedly. "We lost one pair today, but the remaining four are tougher than usual. It'll be difficult to narrow it down. Give me a number from one to three."

"Three," said Rhyme.

"Alright," said Joshua. "That's how many Players I'll let come back to life after this Game. If there are that many left, of course."

"That means if two pairs win, at least one Player will be out of luck," said Rhyme with a frown.

Joshua shrugged. "We have to get new Reapers from somewhere," he said. "And we can't bring too many people back to life or we'd get found out. Besides, everyone has to die eventually."

"Mm, that's true…" said Rhyme. It still seemed harsh to her, but maybe that was because she had actually gone through the Game as a Player. Had actually been erased. And had somehow come back without her entry fee. It was a good thing—a very good thing—that her entry fee was something that she could rebuild again.

"…I take it you like your ice cream a little runny?" asked Joshua, gesturing at the cone in her hand.

Rhyme blinked, her eyes widening as she realized that her ice cream was melting all over her hand. She hurriedly worked to repair the damage, eating most of the melted ice cream and trying to wipe off what was on her hand.

Joshua's smirk widened into a grin at her frantic movements. He reached out with his hand, placing a hand on her cheek and turning her head slightly to face him. Rhyme opened her mouth to ask him a question, but whatever she had been about to say was cut off as he suddenly leaned forward, kissing her. He pulled back before she could react, leaving her standing there and blinking as her ice cream continued to melt in her hand.

"Mm…chocolate," he said, smirking at her. "I think it tastes better this way, personally."

Rhyme's eyes widened, her face turning red.

"Hey! Get away from my sister!" shouted Beat from behind her, apparently finished with his skateboard move.

"Whoops," said Joshua, flipping his hair back with one hand with a small giggle. "It's time for me to take my leave. See you later, Rhyme."

He shifted into the UG just as Beat reached them, disappearing in time to avoid a punch from the older Bito. Rhyme watched as he walked lazily down the street.

"Come back here, punk, and fight like a man!" shouted Beat to the empty air, punching in random directions. Rhyme sighed.

"Come on, Beat," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "He's gone."

She walked back towards the group, leading a still-fuming Beat.

XxXxX

They were standing around Hachiko when it happened. Shiki was talking about Hachifest and making plans for it. Rhyme and Beat had already agreed to go—they had gone last year after all—and the two of them were sitting on the pedestal of the statue, listening as Shiki tried to convince Neku to go. Beat was discussing a plan to get Eri to come with him.

Rhyme frowned suddenly as someone ran _through_ a group of people huddled around the road to the bus terminal, black wings on his back fluttering. Her eyes widened and she jumped off from her seat, ignoring Beat's shout of alarm. He was bleeding from wounds to his chest and arms, and Noise tattoos were slowly fading back into his skin. He didn't look older than fifteen, with blond hair and a white hoodie with dragon-shaped marks on it that were quickly being obscured by blood.

He was stumbling through the streets, barely walking.

His head turned around to face her, his eyes meeting hers. Rhyme froze, the color draining from her face. His eyes were gray, and there was so much…_fear _in them that she thought her heart stopped for a moment.

He wasn't one of Shibuya's Reapers.

She was sure she would have recognized him if he was.

He ran up to her and tripped, his hands reaching for the front of her shirt. They passed right through her and he fell to the ground, his eyes wide as he looked up at her. Her hands automatically reached for the soda can pin that she had pinned to the strap of her messenger bag.

"Please…" he mumbled from the ground, his words barely audible. "Minato…help…Composer…"

There was a flash of static and then his wings disappeared, the rest of him following until he was erased from existence.

Rhyme stared.

"Rhyme?" she could hear her friends asking as they gathered around her. "Rhyme? Rhyme, what's wrong?"

XxXxX

Joshua sat in the study, watching as the teapot in the center of the table poured tea all on its own, a cup floating over to Rhyme. She took it, her hands trembling slightly as she took a sip.

"That's all he said," she said after a while, looking up at him. "…I was going to help him, but…"

Joshua nodded. "He was too far gone," he finished, taking a sip of his own tea. It was only later that he heard that a Reaper from Minato had crossed over into Shibuya, after the fact. He frowned. Each UG existed in isolation. What reason would another UG have to tamper with theirs? And how could the Producer of that particular UG allow it? Mr. H said he hadn't been able to reach the Producer of Minato, but…

What could it mean?

"You can't blame yourself, Rhyme," he said. "What could you have done?"

"I don't know…" said Rhyme, with a frown. "I wanted to help him, but I…I was scared. And I panicked. And now…we'll never know what he wanted to tell us."

"It tells us one thing, though," said Joshua. "Minato."

"Mm…" said Rhyme, nodding in understanding. They could stop looking at Shinjuku now. No matter how they looked at it, Minato was the source of all their problems. Something was happening. Now if only he had any idea what.

He watched as Rhyme stared down at the coffee table, her expression focused. "…Atago Shrine. Minato. The man with the green eyes. Reida Rikushu and Takako Matsuda…"

"The Taboo Noise," added Joshua. "And the dead Reaper."

…_And the missing Producer…_he added quietly.

Rhyme sighed in frustration, leaning back and covering her eyes with her hand. "It doesn't make any sense," she said. "What does it all mean?"

"…I'll let you know when I have the answers," said Joshua with a frown. He had a feeling they were going to find out soon anyway. It had been relatively quiet lately, but it felt like the calm before the storm…

A first taste, of sorts.

Something was coming. Something big.

XxXxX

Masayoshi woke up to the sound of something being placed on his desk and timid footsteps hurrying out the door. He opened his eyes, straightening up and rubbing out a kink in his neck. He had fallen asleep while working on the company's latest project. He frowned, realizing that he had been sleeping on the keyboard, and there was now a long line of nonsense text all over the Word document on his screen. He shook his head, glancing at what was left on his desk.

It was a large mug of coffee, fresh and still hot. He picked it up, taking a sip.

He had expressly told the maids that he wasn't to be disturbed, so who—?

He looked up and turned towards the door, his eyes widening slightly as he saw the shadow of a young girl moving down the hallway.

**Review Responses: **

**AntiSora – **Yep. Josh just can't help but play around when it comes to Neku and Shiki, at poor Rhyme's expense, haha. And I'm glad you like it. I had the idea for that scene sitting in my head for a long time, and I'm glad it turned out alright! ^_^ Thanks for the review!

**Chloe5500 – **I'm glad you like it and I'm glad you think so! I was a little worried it wasn't turning out alright while I was writing it, so I'm glad you think it was romantic!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Thanks! I got the idea for Rhyme having powers because I was thinking about how her situation was different from everyone else's, and I wanted to give Josh a reason to relate to her. I'm glad you like it!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Haha, then the current theme might not help you much. It might have been worse, if I didn't have my little sister reading this story—er—never mind, I said nothing. And yep. The funny thing is, Rhyme went along with the idea of flaunting their un-workness. Thanks for the review!

**WaterAngel-Alyssa – **Yes he does, haha. Poor Rhyme, though. And yep! Finally, a smile! I've been saving it just for that scene. Thanks so much for the review! I appreciate it!

**0athk33p3r and 0b1ivi0n – **Lol, I'm trying to insert as much cute as possible now, since it's going to get a little dark in chapters to come. Thanks for the review!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	20. Bitter

_**hShiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Grr…this chapter was hard to write for some reason. I don't think I nailed the theme this time…unless you look at it as kind of the mood of the whole chapter. Well, anyway, here's another update for you! And we're at 19/30 now. Who knew? XD Thanks for reading!

**Theme 01: Bitter**

"Good morning, Bito-san."

Rhyme looked up from the notebook that was open on the table, pulling her spoon out of her mouth and setting it in the bowl of cereal next to her. Masayoshi stood in the doorway to the dining room, adjusting his tie. She smiled.

"Morning, Mr. Kiryu," she said, picking up her mechanical pencil and flipping the page.

Masayoshi glanced over her shoulder. "Homework?" he asked.

"Just a few math problems," said Rhyme. "We have a test today and I thought I'd review."

"Joshua isn't around?" asked Masayoshi.

Rhyme shook her head. "He went ahead," she said, taking a spoonful of cereal and popping it in her mouth as she quickly wrote down a solution. He was a little distracted this morning. Not that she could blame him, really. She couldn't stop thinking about the dead Reaper from yesterday either.

"…I see," said Masayoshi. He paused for a moment. "…Thank you for the coffee last night. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," said Rhyme, smiling. "You looked like you might need it."

"Mm," said Masayoshi, with a small smile. "The business of running a company. Sometimes, I wonder what it's all for."

Rhyme frowned, looking up from her homework to study the older Kiryu more closely. Masayoshi seemed…tired? He wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was looking at something in the distance. He was so good at hiding it most days that just living here temporarily like she was, she might never have guessed. But then again, she supposed Joshua had to get it from somewhere…

"Are you alright, sir?" she asked.

As she watched, the weariness on his face disappeared, his expression changing back to the professional Masayoshi Kiryu that she had seen earlier.

"Yes, Bito-san. I'm fine." He stopped for a moment, turning towards her. "If you don't mind my asking, how long have you known my son?"

Rhyme paused for a moment to consider that. How long had she known Joshua? "…About a year and a half now, sir," she said, "Um…I met him through Neku, and he was always around the coffee shop that I did my homework in. But we didn't really start talking until last winter, a little before you came home."

"Coffee shop?" asked Masayoshi.

Joshua probably didn't tell his father much. Rhyme got that impression the first time she had seen the two interact. It was a shame. She wouldn't say that she was _completely _open with her parents—what teenager would?—but they knew her habits, her likes and dislikes, her feelings on most days. They knew who her friends were, how she was doing at school, and how she liked to dress.

Masayoshi knew none of that…and if he did, it wasn't from Joshua. The only way he could learn about his only child was through outside sources like her…

She found that maybe she was beginning to understand him a little. Both of them. Masayoshi and Yoshiya…

"Mm," said Rhyme, smiling up at him. "WildKat. On Cat Street. He's friends with the owner."

"Is he?" asked Masayoshi.

"Yeah," said Rhyme. "Sanae Hanekoma. We call him Mr. H. We all drop in from time to time, to say hi or to talk."

"We?"

"Um…Neku, Shiki, my brother, and me," replied Rhyme. "And Joshua too, but not usually with the rest of us."

Masayoshi nodded. "Joshua's never been much of a…social person," he said. "Don't take it personally."

"I don't," said Rhyme, smiling. "I know it's not easy opening up to people. Neku was the same way. So…if either of them open up to me just a little bit, that's good enough for me."

"…But even so, it looks like he's opened up to you quite well," said Masayoshi. He frowned, walking over to the table. "Bito-san…if you don't mind my asking, why are you in a relationship with my son?"

Rhyme shifted nervously in her seat, looking up at him. "…What do you mean, sir?" she asked.

"I mean…why did you bother getting close to him in the first place?" asked Masayoshi, looking down at her sternly. "…Joshua isn't the easiest person to get along with. You and I both know that. So…what drew you to him? Why bother?"

"He…" Rhyme paused to collect her thoughts, tracing circles with her finger on her notebook page. "…He seemed like someone that was always alone. Every time I saw him…I was with my brother, or with Shiki, or even with Neku, and all of us would be together…But he'd be by himself, sitting by the window, checking his phone. Even when he talked to us, it was like he was pushing us all away. I always thought that it was sad…that someone could live like that."

"…So…when he approached me and helped me with my math homework last winter…when we started talking, I thought…that I wanted to know more. Like I wanted to understand him a little better…That's why, I guess…"

"I see…" said Masayoshi, his expression suddenly hard. "…So the fact that Joshua is the sole heir to a corporation worth billions means absolutely nothing to you?"

Rhyme's eyes widened and she tensed, staring up at him. "K-Kiryu-san?" she asked. "What's this all about?"

Masayoshi sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind. You'll be late for school. I'll have Nori give you a ride."

He stepped away from her, turning around and leaving the room.

XxXxX

Rhyme sat by the window at lunch, her head propped up in her hand as she stared out the window. There was a bento box in front of her, but she hadn't eaten any of it. She had tried, but the first few bites left a bitter taste in her mouth and she just gave up.

…Because it had been bought with Joshua's money.

It wasn't an expensive boxed lunch. Just something that could be bought on the way to school. But she didn't have her allowance, and with her parents supposedly out of town, she couldn't bring lunch from home. Joshua had offered to buy it for her, and because it was cheap, she hadn't protested.

She almost wished she had, now.

"…_the fact that Joshua is the sole heir to a corporation worth billions means absolutely nothing to you…?"_

His words continued to echo in her mind, over and over again. A part of her felt angry. How could he think that? She didn't even know who Joshua was until she first saw the inside of his house. And even then, that hadn't changed anything. He had always been Joshua to her. Not the Composer, and not Masayoshi Kiryu's heir.

Just Joshua.

The rest of her felt sad. Because no matter what she said or did to change his mind about it, Masayoshi Kiryu thought she was some sort of golddigger. And he would probably be watching her for as long as she was involved with Joshua, waiting for her to slip up and show her "true colors".

It didn't help that she had already established herself as someone motivated and driven to succeed. But why couldn't he see that she wanted to succeed on her own power, not because of the connections she made? Why couldn't he see that she didn't _want _to be rich? She just wanted to…to not be poor. To go to college and get a respectable job that she could use to support herself? To be able to help her brother and her parents out?

Why couldn't he see that side of her?

She swallowed, staring down at her phone. For a moment, she wanted to text Joshua, but she decided against it. He had enough on his plate already with the problems in the UG.

…Minato.

Rhyme looked up at the map of Tokyo that was pinned to one of the classroom walls. She had almost forgotten about that. Mr. H had said that the problems were in Minato, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Chiyoda. All three of the later ones bordered Minato. But so did Chuo, Koto, and Shinagawa.

…What if the problems were more widespread than they thought?

She sighed. Joshua was going to WildKat later to talk to Mr. H. Maybe they would find some answers there. She didn't know how he did it, but Mr. H knew a lot about the Game and the UGs.

…She just had to trust that everything would be alright.

XxXxX

Joshua snapped his phone shut with one flick of his wrist, placing it on the countertop and turning towards Mr. H. Thankfully, Cat Street had been blocked off from today's Game at his request, so there wasn't a chance that any Players would walk in and eavesdrop on their conversation. Not that that was likely anyway.

"No luck finding the Producer of Minato?" asked Joshua, turning towards Mr. H as he set a cup of steaming coffee down in front of him.

"None," said Mr. H, frowning. "He's gone completely off the radar. The higher-ups are getting involved. Apparently, 'when they know, we'll know'. But…I'm getting the feeling that Minato's not the only one."

"What do you mean?" asked Joshua.

"I mean…" said Mr. H, folding his arms. "Shinagawa's gone AWOL too. And no one's heard anything from Chiyoda's Producer in days."

"...Hmm…" said Joshua, ignoring the cup of coffee and staring down at the countertop. "…A Producer's strength in the UG depends on the strength of the UG they've tuned into, correct?"

"Exactly," said Mr. H.

"…How strong is Minato's UG?" asked Joshua. He opened up his schoolbag, taking out his history book and opening it to a page with a map of Tokyo. Joshua scanned the map, taking note of the placement of the wards that Mr. H had mentioned. Shinagawa and Chiyoda both bordered Minato.

"...Eh, it's not much," said Mr. H. "Pretty low-class, as far as Tokyo is concerned."

"So their Producer would be…"

"You could take him," said Mr. H, with a shrug and a small grin. "Ever since that incident with Shades last year, Shibuya's shot way up there in rank."

"Which would explain why they're just toying with us at the moment," said Joshua, with a smirk. He traced the border between Minato and Shibuya with one finger. "They don't know if they have the strength to beat us."

"Beat us?" asked Mr. H. "Is that what you think they're trying to do?"

"I have a few theories," said Joshua. "…So, Shinagawa's Producer was the next to go missing?"

"Mm," said Mr. H. "That's right."

The Yamanote Circle ran through Shinagawa before it got to Shibuya. Joshua traced the line with his finger. "How's Shinagawa as a UG?" he asked.

"Better off than Minato," said Mr. H. "I'd call it an average UG."

"…So that leaves Chiyoda," said Joshua, placing a finger on the ward. "You can't reach their Producer either?"

Mr. H shook his head. "Last thing they heard from her was that she'd be stuck in Chiyoda for a while. Something going on. And then…static."

"How very mysterious," said Joshua in his usual teasing tone. "And Chiyoda's power?"

"Hmm, well now _that's _something," said Mr. H, grinning. "Chiyoda's something else. Used to be the best UG in all of Tokyo."

"Used to be?" asked Joshua, still smirking. "What is now?"

"If I told you," said Mr. H, winking, "…you'd get a big head."

"That's the same as telling me," said Joshua.

"Well, maybe," said Mr. H. "But to be fair, I'll say your UGs are pretty much neck-in-neck with each other."

"…So if Minato's doing this, then they're picking their fights based on strength," said Joshua. "Shinagawa first, then Chiyoda. And now…"

"We can safely assume that we're next," said Mr. H, nodding.

"…Right," said Joshua, nodding. He looked up. "I have a theory about your missing Producer."

"Oh?" asked Mr. H.

"Everyone knows about that stunt you pulled with Minamimoto and the Taboo Noise, right?" asked Joshua.

"If by everyone, you mean the Angels, then yes," said Mr. H. "...They might have mentioned it at my trial…a couple of hundred times."

"Yes, I know. I was there to testify on your behalf, remember?"

Mr. H winced, laughing slightly. "I'd rather forget," he said.

"Well, that aside," said Joshua. "Minato is weak. And because of that, Minato's Producer is…relatively weak. However, it's safe to say that he knows everything that's going on in Minato. And assuming he's still on your side, he doesn't like what's happening."

Mr. H frowned. "…Joshua," he said. "Are you suggesting that...?"

"…Kariya found the refinery sigils," said Joshua, dismissing Mr. H's question with a wave of his hand. "They were drawn at Shibuya Station and Ebisu Station."

"The Yamanote Line?" asked Mr. H, frowning slightly as he leaned over the counter to lean back at the books.

"The two nearest stations to Shinagawa Station, which, despite its name, is actually in Minato," said Joshua. "The sigils were inactive. Whoever drew them activated them and deactivated them in the same day, producing a finite number of Taboo Noise."

"…A message," said Mr. H. with a frown.

"Safe to say," said Joshua, shrugging. "The only question is: What is the message saying?"

"It could be anything from 'I'm still alive' to 'We're coming for you.'," said Mr. H. "That doesn't help us much."

"No," said Joshua, nodding, "It doesn't." He frowned, staring at the map again as if it was going to suddenly get up and just _tell _him what was going on. "…Taboo Noise can only be defeated in pairs…" he muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Josh?" asked Mr. H, looking up.

"…Nothing," said Joshua. He slid out of his seat, flipping his cellphone open and dialing Rhyme's number. He pressed the phone to his ear, grabbing his schoolbag with one hand and walking towards the door.

"Hey!" shouted Mr. H. as he walked out onto the street. "You didn't pay for this!"

Joshua smirked, turning his head slightly to face Mr. H. as Rhyme picked up on the other end of the line. "Put it on my tab," he said, letting the doors close behind him. "No, Rhyme. Not you…"

Mr. H sighed, staring down at Joshua's untouched cup of coffee. He picked it up, taking a sip.

No use letting good coffee go to waste.

**Review Responses: **

**AntiSora – **Haha, well, considering the theme the random number thing picked out for me, I just _had _to write that kiss. Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you liked it and I hope you like this one too! I appreciate the support!

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Aww, don't worry about it. The next ten chapters won't be fluffy, but they will have a certain amount of sweetness to them. I hope. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Chloe5500 – **Thanks! I'm glad you like it! I'm starting to tie together the plot threads here, so I hope it turns out alright!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Yeah, she is, poor girl. And now Josh's dad thinks she has something up her sleeve. Oh well, hopefully that'll be fixed by the end of the story. Thanks for the review!

**Read the Avatar – **Aww, don't worry about it. I liked the dual reviews! And yeah, I was thinking about writing one where Rhyme gets a hold of Joshua's phone and starts pressing random buttons and all hell breaks loose wherever Josh is at the time. Not sure if I'm going to do it though. I've never been good at humor fics. Humor _in _fics, sure, but fics dedicated to humor…not so much. Thanks for the review!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	21. Attack

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Just a note when it comes to Noise Form names…I don't actually know any Latin, so I'm using an online dictionary. So chances are I'm getting some of this stuff wrong. Sorry.

Also, if you couldn't tell from the theme, the plot starts now! *evil laugh*

**Warning: **This chapter contains Death Note spoilers. If you don't want to read them, skip the part where they chase the Players into the store.

**Bonus Theme 02: Attack**

Joshua met Rhyme outside of the Jupiter of the Monkey store on Cat Street, leaning against the wall and watching the people go by. She was dressed in her school uniform still—one of the few times he had ever seen her wear a skirt—and her blond hair fell around her face from under her beanie. Her fingers were closed around her bell-shaped pendant, and she seemed to be thinking about something.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked teasingly, holding out a coin towards her. "Or…10 yen, as it were."

Rhyme flinched, backing away from the coin and looking up at him. He frowned at her quick reaction, pocketing the coin.

"I see," he said. "Father got to you."

Rhyme immediately looked uncomfortable, which just confirmed his guess. Joshua sighed, running a hand through his hair and folding his arms. Honestly. Did that man have to go through everything he did? It wasn't as if he was around enough to care.

"Ignore him," said Joshua, placing a hand on her back. "He can't do anything but watch."

Rhyme's eyes widened slightly and she turned towards him. "You can say that?" she asked. "He's your father, Joshua."

"I've lived with him for 16 years," said Joshua with a shrug. He kept his hand on her back, leading her down the street. "In total, he's probably been around for six of them."

Rhyme's face fell. He could feel her shoulders slump. "…That's sad," she said quietly.

"Is it?" asked Joshua with a smirk and a small giggle. "I consider it quite fortunate, actually. I couldn't do _half _the things I do now under _his _constant surveillance."

"…Maybe, if he knew you better, he'd understand…" she murmured, touching the fingers of her hands together.

Understand? Not likely. He had tried talking to his parents about what he saw when he was younger. His father thought he was making things up—the product of a fertile young mind. His mother thought he was insane. Probably for the best. It meant that when she finally packed up as much money as she could and left, she didn't take him with her.

Didn't even fight for custody. Not like she would have won against Masayoshi Kiryu fighting to keep his only heir.

Really, he was _much _better off with things as they were.

"Well, that's not important now, is it?" asked Joshua, giving Rhyme a small smirk and leading her down into the Miyashita Park Underpass. His hand moved from her back to her arm as he felt her stiffen when they passed the place she and Beat had died in. She relaxed as soon as they left the Underpass, though. Joshua frowned, looking down at her. His conversation with Mr. H still rang in his mind.

She really was a child after all, getting dragged into things like this. It was enough to almost make him feel guilty.

Joshua looked up, watching as a blond girl dressed from head to toe in Lapin Angelique dragged a shorter red-haired girl into a building. He glanced at the door, noticing the Reaper decal. Interesting. He hadn't realized the Game was still going on. Uzuki's mission for today lasted a little longer than he thought it would.

He glanced up, taking note of the Reaper waiting on the roof, watching the two girls.

"Rhyme," said Joshua, turning towards her. "What do you say we take a small detour?"

"A detour?" repeated Rhyme, blinking up at him.

"In here," said Joshua, guiding her into the shop.

It appeared to be a cosplay shop of some sort. The shorter more unassuming Player was speaking with the clerk, while her partner leaned against the wall and checked her (appropriately black) cellphone. Both had Player pins pinned to their collars. Rhyme blinked. "Players?" she mouthed towards Joshua.

He nodded once. "This week's favorite to win, apparently," he whispered, guiding her behind a shelf so that they wouldn't be seen. "I thought we'd get a close-up on what's got Uzuki so upset."

"Hmm…" said Rhyme, looking at them. "I think the other girl's imprinting."

Joshua nodded. He took a step back, studying the shelf they had chosen to hide behind. Various accessories from different anime and video game characters lay on the shelf. "…So if you were to choose something for me, what would you pick?" he asked Rhyme, smirking down at her.

Rhyme paused for a moment, blinking up at him. Then she bent down, picking something up off the bottom shelf. She straightened up, holding a Death Note in her hands and smiling broadly up at him.

"Really now, Rhyme?" asked Joshua with a small giggle. He took the black notebook from her, flipping through the pages quickly with his thumb. "Just as planned."

Rhyme giggled, covering her mouth to muffle the sound. The two Players looked up at them, but they didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. "I think I'd do a much better job, though," continued Joshua. "After all, Light was eventually caught." He paused, looking at her. "And I'd have a _much _more reliable partner than Misa Amane."

Rhyme made a face. "I didn't like her," she said. "She was…"

"An airhead?"

"I was going to say obsessed," said Rhyme. "But that works too."

"Well then, who did you like?" asked Joshua, setting the notebook back on the shelf. Rhyme paused for a moment to consider that.

"Mm…L!" she said, after a while.

"L?" repeated Joshua, amused.

"Mm-hmm," said Rhyme. "He was my favorite character. The show kinda went downhill after he died."

"Well," said Joshua. "I suppose that explains why you and Mr. H get along so well."

Mr. H, whose scheming plot had very nearly cost him his game against Kitaniji. But he supposed he could forgive him for that. After all, he had decided not to destroy Shibuya's UG in the end. And even he wouldn't throw away seven years of…almost-friendship because of a little disagreement.

"Huh?" asked Rhyme, looking up. "What about Mr. H?"

"Never mind," said Joshua, with a smile, leading her out of the store. "Let's just leave these Players to their business."

XxXxX

"So that's what happened?" asked Rhyme, frowning slightly as she stared down at the map of Shibuya they had spread out on the coffee table in the study. Two of Rhyme's Irregular Note pins covered Shibuya Station and Ebisu Station, the two areas where the Taboo Noise symbols had been drawn.

"Mm," said Joshua. "Ebisu was first, with Shibuya Station second."

"Which meant that they were coming in from Shinagawa," said Rhyme, tracing the Yamanote Line with one finger.

Joshua nodded. "Mr. H and I already came to that conclusion," he said. "I strongly suspect they were coming from Minato."

"I think so too," said Rhyme with a nod.

"Joshua?" asked Masayoshi's voice.

Footsteps suddenly echoed outside the door, the doorknob turning. Rhyme's eyes widened and she quickly waved a hand, the pins floating back to her as the map folded itself up and stashed itself under one of their books. Joshua extended his hand, and the books flew out of their schoolbags, arranging themselves in perfect 'studying' position.

When the door opened and Masayoshi walked in, Rhyme was curled up on one couch, highlighting one portion of her history book in green, and Joshua was sitting it his legs crossed reading a selection from one of his English books.

Rhyme avoided Masayoshi's eyes. "Good afternoon, Mr. Kiryu," she said, nodding at him.

"Good afternoon, Bito-san," said Masayoshi. He nodded coolly at her, turning towards Joshua. "Joshua, did you refuse your invitation to the Ikarashi's party next weekend?"

"I did," said Joshua, looking up at him.

"This is the third time you've refused to go to one of their affairs," said Masayoshi. "If you keep that up, people will think you have something to hide."

"I have never once tried to hide my contempt for Vice President Ikarashi and his son," drawled Joshua, tucking his hair behind his ear with one finger. He pulled his legs up onto the couch, sitting on them. "Playing politics happens to be your area of expertise."

"Don't take that tone with me," said Masayoshi. He turned towards Rhyme. "Bito-san, if you would excuse us?"

"Yes, Rhyme dear," said Joshua, waving a hand at her. "You may as well go and watch some TV. This could take a while."

Rhyme swallowed, getting up and gathering her things. "Good luck," she mouthed towards Joshua, leaving the room.

XxXxX

Rhyme frowned as she flipped through the channels, trying hard not to think about what was going on in the other room. She knew it wasn't any of her business, but she still worried about things like that. There wasn't anything to watch on TV at this time either. She set the remote down on the sofa beside her, reaching down for her cellphone.

Maybe she could text Shiki and the two of them could talk. Unless Shiki was with Eri today…didn't she mention something about that at school earlier? Neku then? She didn't think he was doing anything…

Unless…didn't Beat invite him out earlier?

Rhyme frowned, setting her phone down. It looked like everyone was busy with life except her.

"Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?"

Rhyme's eyes widened at the voice, jumping up. A woman in a blue Pavo Real dress stood in one corner of the room, her arms folded. She held a gun in one hand, tapping it idly on her arm as she smirked at Rhyme. Her nails were painted blue, with rhinestones set in them. Rhyme jumped back, the vase behind her falling off the end table and shattering onto the floor.

"Ta…Takako…" stammered Rhyme, the name coming back to her as her hand slipped into her pocket, reaching for her pins.

"You remembered the name," said Takako. "I'm flattered." She turned towards Rhyme fully, pointing the gun at her and pulling back the safety. "Don't bother fighting, dear. I'm just here to finish what I started."

She pulled the trigger. Rhyme screamed, raising her arms involuntarily to shield her face and looking away as a shot rang out through the house.

XxXxX

Joshua jumped up at the sound of breaking pottery, ignoring his father's angry words and running out the room and down the hall. He had no way to explain it—the sudden sense of urgency he got after hearing that sound. It was like being hit by lightning. There was no time for thought, only for action.

A gunshot rang out as he pushed open the door to the living room, followed by a scream.

_Rhyme!_

XxXxX

Blue light flared up in front of Rhyme. The bullet struck the wall of light, slowing down and falling to the floor. Rhyme looked up, staring down at her hands. Sparks of blue light danced up and down her arms, crackling and snapping in the charged air. She blinked, staring up at Joshua who was standing in the doorway, his hand outstretched towards her and a surprised look on his face. Joshua saved her? But then why was the light around her?

_That wasn't Joshua…_she realized, staring down at her hands. _…That was me. _

_I…saved me?_

"Well, now," said Takako, grinning up at Rhyme. "Looks like you've grown some teeth."

"Joshua!" said Rhyme, looking up at him.

"I noticed," said Joshua, the surprised expression leaving his face as he stepped into the room. He turned towards Takako, frowning. "Usually, when I erase people, I expect them to stay erased."

"Darling, you have no idea what I've been through to come back here," said Takako with a feral grin. "…But she knows, don't you?" She inclined her head towards Rhyme.

Rhyme swallowed. "…You were a Noise," she said.

"My Noise form, love," said Takako, "Aquila Cantus. [1] You've seen it."

Rhyme nodded, thinking back to the eagle she had been fighting the first time she and Joshua fought as partners. Joshua folded his arms.

"So," he began. "You've come back. Now what?"

Takako giggled. "Well, I'm here to invite you to a game."

"A game?" asked Joshua, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," said Takako. "An invitation from the Composer of Minato."

"Interesting," said Joshua. "…And what if I refuse to play?"

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice," said Takako, her fingers resting against her cheek. "I came here to collect your entry fee, dear, but since you're so set on protecting the girl…"

As if on cue, the door opened, Masayoshi walking into the room. Joshua and Rhyme turned around at the same time, wide-eyed. "Joshua, what is going on here?" he asked.

Takako raised the gun and pulled the trigger. A shot rang out through the house, blood splattering over the walls. There was a thud, a body falling to the floor.

"I suppose this'll have to do," she said.

"Mr. Kiryu!" shouted Rhyme.

"_Father!" _

**Review Responses:**

**Read the Avatar – **Yeah. Rhyme doesn't like it, but it's a perfectly reasonable assumption on his part. Especially since it's already happened to him once before. XD And yep, Joshua's head needs to be deflated, stat, before it explodes. Hmm…the US UGs, now that's an idea. Thanks for the review!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Ooh, yay, another double review. Fun! And yeah, I do use 'said' too much. I tried to limit it this time, but it just kept popping up. Oh well, I'll work on it. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it, and thank you for the review!

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Aww, I'm glad you like it anyway. Don't worry, when this is over, I'll go ahead and write something fluffy. And the last two chapters are going to be fluffy too, I think. Well, I'll try, but I'm not that good at fluff. XD

**AntiSora – **Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, it's a reasonable assumption for Mr. Kiryu to make, even though it's completely wrong in this case. And I'm glad you like where it's going. Hopefully this chapter won't put you off. It got a little dark towards the end. XD

**Randian Warrior 501 – **I'm glad you liked it! Yep, I needed to throw in some tension there, and as you can see from this chapter, I was running out of time to do it. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Chloe5500 – **I fully intend to finish this story, especially since I only have 10 more themes to go! Anyway, I'm glad you liked it! Thank you very much for the review!

**Notes: **

[1] **Aquila **– Eagle


	22. Unknown

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Somehow…I'm not too happy with how this chapter turned out. I can't quite pinpoint what's wrong with it, though, so here it is. Enjoy! We're at theme 21/30 now. Next chapter will be mostly from Rhyme's POV again.

The mystery of Rhyme's dreams, soon to be revealed!

**Theme 15: Unknown**

Masayoshi Kiryu lay on the ground, his eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling as blood pooled beneath him. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Nobody moved, their eyes fixed on the body. Rhyme stared at it, all the color draining from her face. No. This wasn't happening. He wasn't—No.

"Well then, kiddies," said Takako. "I'm going to let that sink in. You should be receiving a call soon." She turned towards Joshua. "If you want daddy dearest back, I suggest you comply with those demands."

Joshua was staring at Takako now, unmoving. There was no smirk on his face, no mischievous look in his eye. His hands were hanging at his sides, his expression hard. His eyes were cold as he watched her. He looked as if he was made of ice. If looks could kill, Takako would have been vaporized on the spot.

It was the first time, Rhyme realized, that she had seen Joshua truly angry.

"I'll be taking my leave," she said, giggling slightly. "See you later, kittens."

Rhyme's fingers curled into fists and she ran forward, reaching for her Irregular Note pins. In that instant, Joshua moved. He extended a hand towards Rhyme, a flash of blue light pushing her back and causing her to tumble onto the carpeted floor as Joshua rushed at Takako. He extended his hand, a beam of light shooting down from above at her. At the last moment, before the beam hit, Takako smirked, vanishing from sight.

And leaving the two of them alone in the room with the body.

Rhyme rubbed the back of her head where she had hit the floor, pushing herself into a sitting position. Joshua stood completely still, his hands clenched into fists. He didn't move.

"…Joshua…" began Rhyme, pushing herself to her feet.

"Are you hurt?"

Rhyme raised a hand to her head. It throbbed a little, but she hadn't hit the ground too hard. It would probably fade in the next twenty minutes.

"No…" said Rhyme. "…No, I'm fine…"

"Good," said Joshua, without looking at her. Some of the tension left his shoulders and he seemed to slump a little bit. "…Use the phone down the hall. Call the police. It'll take them a few minutes to get here. We can use that to get our stories straight. The media will probably be all over this…"

He paused for a moment, turning to look at the body. "It's going to be tricky when we get him back, but I suppose we can pull off rewriting everyone's memories."

"You can do that?" asked Rhyme, already halfway to the door. She guessed that something like that had happened with her death and her brother's. Especially since she couldn't find anything in the newspapers or on the internet about two kids dying in a car accident.

"We only do it completely for high-profile deaths," said Joshua. "It takes a lot of effort."

He was already reaching for his phone. Rhyme nodded, running down the hallway and pulling the landline from its cradle.

XxXxX

Joshua stepped into the Shibuya River, looking around. The area was sealed off to all but the highest-ranking Reapers, but even so, only the Conductor—and to an unfortunate extent, the current Conductor's partner—knew what he looked like in the RG. It wouldn't do much good for him now if some Reaper over-eager to prove himself started questioning him about what a sixteen-year-old with no wings and no Player pin was doing hanging around the Composer's pad.

It would probably be amusing, but not good.

There weren't any Reapers around today, though. It was Day 5 of the Game, and most of them were watching intently. There were still six Players left, after all. Everyone would be wondering if any of them would survive Uzuki's Game, and a number of them would be preparing for Day 7.

Which more or less gave him the freedom to roam the Shibuya River at his leisure.

He slipped his hands into his pockets. This time, however, he wasn't heading to the Room of Reckoning. Joshua turned into a different room, a room that was only used for one purpose.

Waiting.

He opened the door, stepping into a room lined with beds on each side. Sleeping Players were transported back here without knowing it, then transported back to the place where their mission would start each day. The room was locked to most Reapers when a game was going on, stopping them from taking cheap shots at Players in their sleep.

The Game was harsh, but it was fair. Most of the time.

But that wasn't the only purpose of this room. Shibuya's recently deceased waited here too, until they were given the decision to enter the Game or pass on. But there was a reason most Players and Reapers looked so young. Most of the time, it was the young people who would choose to enter the Game. Anyone above middle age usually decided to pass on.

People like his father.

Kariya was the only person other than him that had access to this room during a Game, and Kariya had already said that if he saw anyone matching his father's description in here, he would ignore them.

He looked around the room, but there was nobody there except for a young man with black hair dressed in a Tigre Punks outfit. The boy was asleep—his entry fee had probably already been collected for the next Game. Joshua frowned, staring down at his phone. He hadn't expected to find anything here. Takako Matsuda knew that he had the ability to bring anyone in Shibuya back to life.

She wouldn't have killed his father without a plan.

He stared down at his phone, remembering her words from last night. A game. Someone would be calling him soon with the terms of the game. His frown deepened. Takako had called it an 'entry fee', which meant that if he won the game, he could get it back. This mystery person still hadn't called, though.

He frowned. He was being toyed with, and that was one of the things that Joshua couldn't stand. He pressed the phone to his ear, dialing Mr. H's number.

XxXxX

It was early in the evening by the time the police were finished and he was allowed to return home. The media were still crowding around the front of the house, but he let Rhyme slip through them in the UG so that she wouldn't turn up on camera. The last thing either of them needed was a scandal erupting because there was some unknown girl seen walking into the Kiryu house.

He closed the door behind him, drawing the curtains shut and ignoring the cameras. He sighed, leaning against the door tiredly. Rhyme drifted back into the RG at his side, a concerned look on her face and her hand in his.

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Rhyme quietly, looking up at him.

To her credit, she didn't ask him if he _was _okay. He looked down at her, allowing a smirk to come to his face. "I should be asking you that," he said. He leaned forward, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

"Get some sleep," he said teasingly. "You look terrible."

Rhyme frowned at him but nodded, squeezing his hand once before letting go and walking down the hall to her room. He noticed that she walked on the side of the hallway that was far away from the living room. He shook his head. In some ways, Rhyme could be very mature, but in others…?

Well, he had other things to think about.

He walked into the study, selecting a book from the shelf and settling down to read. It was almost 24 hours now. Enough time to let the news set in, enough time for him to look for his father around Shibuya.

If they were going to call, they would do it around now, before their window closed and he lost interest in them.

The phone rang an hour later. Joshua smirked, closing his book shut with a snap and reaching for the landline beside him. He picked the phone up, pressing it to his ear.

"Yoshiya Kiryu?" asked a male voice on the end of the line.

"Speaking," said Joshua, leaning against the armrest of the couch and putting his feet up. It looked like they were finally going to find out what was happening here.

"My name is Sadao Tsuji," he said. "I'm the Composer of Minato."

"Yes, I assumed that," drawled Joshua. "So you're the Composer that's managed to keep such a weak UG afloat? I'm impressed." There was obvious sarcasm in his tone.

"Minato isn't weak. Not anymore. I'm calling because—."

Joshua frowned, waving a hand in the air dismissively. "Yes, yes, you have my father," he said. "What do you want?"

"Your authority as Composer of Shibuya," said Sadao. "If you give that to me, I'll allow you to remain in partial control of your UG, and I'll restore your father to you."

Joshua straightened up, placing his feet back on the floor. So that was what this was about? Shinagawa and Chiyoda…had those two districts fallen to the same threats?

"Interesting," said Joshua. "And what if I refuse to play? My father's death just means my coming into my inheritance sooner than I expected."

"You'll play," said Sadao. "If your father isn't enough to convince you, I'll just have to send Takako back for the girl. You can't watch her forever, Yoshiya. Think about what I'm offering."

Rhyme…

"_I don't want to die again…and I don't want to be erased again…" _

Joshua's eyes narrowed, the fingers of his left hand curling inwards, closing tightly around the sofa. "…And if I did agree to your terms, how would I do it?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.

"Rainbow Bridge in Minato," said Sadao. "Tomorrow night. We'll make the exchange there."

There was a click. Sadao had hung up. Joshua kept the phone pressed to his ear, leaning back in the seat and staring up at the ceiling. He counted to three, before speaking.

"Well, Mr. H?" he asked. "What do you think?"

There was a pause, and then Mr. H spoke up from another phone upstairs. "How did you catch me?" he asked. "I thought I was being very discreet."

"…As if I could miss the coffee cup left on the counter on my way in," said Joshua, rolling his eyes and resting his arm on the couch. "Your opinion?"

"I don't like it. The Composer of one UG attempting to take the authority of another?"

"Mm…" Joshua pulled out the map of Shibuya that he and Rhyme had been looking at from under the pile of books, unfolding it and staring at the Minato-Shibuya border.

"What are you planning to do?" asked Mr. H.

Joshua didn't answer, tracing the border with one finger. If he agreed, he lost a part of his life in the UG. If he didn't, he lost a part of his life in the RG. Sadao's game was simple, but it left him in quite the situation. He frowned.

"…Josh?"

"…You asked me a few months ago how long I could keep up this double life," murmured Joshua, quietly.

"You're not _seriously _going to—!"

"…Trust me," interrupted Joshua quietly, hanging up the phone. He continued to stare at the map. There _was _a way to play both ends against the middle here, a way to win, but it would be difficult, and there were so many variables involved…

He leaned back, resting his head on the backrest of the couch and looking up at the ceiling.

'Trust your partner' indeed…

**Review Responses:**

**Read the Avatar – **Thanks for the review! Don't worry about Mr. Kiryu, I didn't like him very much either. XD About the gun, Uzuki had one and Sho had one besides Joshua so…it's possible. Not too sure about it though, I might fix it in editing.

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Well, he did _try _to disintegrate her then and there. XD Unfortunately, that didn't work out too well. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I hope this one turned out alright! *pokes it*

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Haha, if you were surprised at the chapter, that means I pulled it off alright! ^_^ And yep, I couldn't resist adding in that Death Note reference, and I figured it would have to happen before things got too serious, so…there you have it. Thanks for the review!

**iandin123 – **Yay, it worked! Seriously, I was thinking that if I just made enough people react like that, the chapter was effective. Yeah, Rhyme's stronger than she realizes at this point, and that's going to factor in later when Josh's master plan gets put into action. *evil laugh*

**The Legendaerie LT – **Eep! Sorry about the warnings! I edited them in now! And the 'saids' are still in full force in this chapter. I guess I do it without even thinking about it, *sweatdrop* Anyway thank you for the review! And I'm sorry about your evil internet!

**AntiSora – **Haha, glad you liked the Death Note thing. XD And no, Takako is an evil b****. So is Reida, once she finally jumps into the story. And yeah…hmm…I wonder if he really does care somewhere deep down. XD I guess we'll just have to read and find out!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	23. Afar

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **I know this chapter might be a little worrying, but don't worry! This is Josh, after all! There's always a plan! In the meantime, though, enjoy the two chapters that are probably going to be the darkest in the whole fic. Sorry about that. Theme 22/30 now, so only 8 more chapters to go!

Sorry if I disappointed anyone with this chapter. *pokes reviews* It looks like everyone was hoping for…er…something else.

**Theme 20: Afar**

Rhyme slept.

He leaned against the door to the guest room that she slept in, watching her. He never approached her, never took a step forward to get a closer look. He just stayed where he was, watching her from afar. The light from one of the lamps outside streamed in through the window, lighting the room just enough for him to see her.

She lay on her side, her hand curled up beside her and her blanket pulled up all the way to her shoulders. She wasn't wearing her beanie, allowing her blond hair to fall around her. It was still short, although it had been getting longer recently, so that now it was starting to creep down to her shoulders.

Her lips moved in her sleep. He wondered what she was saying, or what she was dreaming about.

_I could fail._

The thought had been circling around his head for quite some time now. It wasn't often that he thought about things like this—the possibility of his own failure. Failing…had never really been possible for him. He always had a plan. And a plan beyond that plan. Even in his game against Kitaniji, he had won.

But now…even his best plan could fail. And the thought…he wasn't going to go as far as to say it frightened him, but it did unnerve him slightly.

If he failed…

He shook his head. He needed to stop thinking about it this way. There were a lot of things he had to do before tomorrow night.

He turned around, opening the door slowly so as not to wake her up and slipping out of the room.

XxXxX

_The bridge was bathed in light, different colors reflected on the street. In the background, Tokyo Tower stood tall, the highest point in all of Tokyo. Rhyme ignored that, her eyes fixed on the scene in front of her. _

_Joshua. Takako. The green-eyed man…and the man that was in shadow. _

_Joshua turned towards her, and again, his lips moved, although she had no idea what he was saying. Her right eye burned. _

_A single gunshot. A flash of light. _

_Blood falling into the water. _

_And Rhyme running, running away…_

She jumped up in bed, gathering the blankets around her and breathing heavily. Sunlight streamed in through the window. She could hear the sound of birds from outside. Rhyme took a deep breath and turned towards the clock beside her bed.

6:45 AM.

The first time she had had a dream and not woken up at four o'clock. She didn't know why, but that gave her a bad feeling.

…Like whatever it was that she was preparing for was coming soon.

She took a deep breath, sliding out of bed. Joshua wasn't going to be attending school today, just like he hadn't gone to school yesterday. He had used his father's death as an excuse, but she had the feeling that it wasn't a completely fabricated one. He had been worried yesterday. She could tell that much.

She, however, didn't have an excuse like that, so she opened the closet that one of the maids had put all her clothes in when she first arrived, taking out her school uniform and heading towards the connecting bathroom to shower and get dressed. She was running a little late this morning, but Rhyme didn't usually take so long to change.

When she arrived in the dining room for breakfast, Joshua was already there, reading a book. A plate had been laid out in front of her usual chair. Rhyme frowned. She usually got breakfast for herself, from the kitchen.

"Morning," said Joshua, putting his book down and smirking up at her.

"…Morning," replied Rhyme, sitting in front of the table and taking a bite. "Did you do this?"

"You didn't eat anything yesterday," said Joshua, teasingly. "And I can't have my dear partner wasting away, can I?"

"…Thank you," Rhyme gave him a small smile as she took a bite out of her food.

"It was no trouble," said Joshua, with a small giggle. "Hurry up and eat. You'll be late for school at this rate."

Rhyme nodded and smiled, beginning to eat her food. When she was finished, Joshua stood up. Rhyme frowned at him.

"I thought I'd accompany you to school today," he explained, smirking at her. "…At least, just to drop you off. I hope you don't mind if we take Nori."

"Um…if Nori-san doesn't mind…" began Rhyme.

"It's what he's paid to do," said Joshua with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Alright then," said Rhyme, following him to the car.

There really was something odd about Joshua this morning, although she couldn't put her finger on it. He was…acting nice? Even if he was smirking and teasing her about things, he was bringing her to school…and then there was that whole part about breakfast. Did something happen that she missed?

The moment the car started moving, his expression became serious and he turned away from her, looking out the window as they drove through the streets of Shibuya. Rhyme turned towards him, a concerned look on her face.

"…Joshua?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Joshua, turning towards her. "…I've just been thinking. Rhyme, don't you have a club meeting after school today?"

"Uh…mm…" muttered Rhyme, her fingers tightening around the hem of her skirt. "…We're planning the school festival. Shiki and Eri are going, and they want me to come along. But I can always skip the—."

"Go to the meeting," said Joshua, interrupting her.

Rhyme blinked. "…B-But…" she began. "…Your father…the UG…"

"I'll handle it," he said. "Don't worry about it."

"…Joshua, what aren't you telling me?" asked Rhyme, unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for her schoolbag as the car stopped on the nearest corner from the high school.

In response, Joshua turned towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder and pulling her closer. He leaned forward, his fingers weaving into her hair as he kissed her. Joshua pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss slowly, his tongue brushing against her lips and slipping past. His fingers slid through her hair, brushing very lightly across her scalp and causing Rhyme to shiver.

Joshua pulled away, and Rhyme could feel him smirk against her lips for a moment before he slid back, refastening his seatbelt.

"Trust me," he said, patting her once on the cheek. Her face was flushed—she could feel the heat spreading over her cheeks. "And get out. You'll be late for class."

Rhyme jumped, turning towards the clock in the car. She reached for her schoolbag, stepping out onto the street and turning around.

"I'll see you later, right?" she asked.

Joshua's only answer was to smile at her and wave.

"Joshua?" asked Rhyme.

"…You're going to be late." He smirked at her. Rhyme nodded, reluctantly closing the door. The moment the door was closed, the car started, pulling out of the parking space and heading down the street. Rhyme stared after the car as it left, shivering. One hand reached up, her fingers lightly brushing against her lips.

Was it just her…or did that feel too much like goodbye?

XxXxX

The sun was beginning to set by the time the meeting finished. Rhyme hadn't said much during the planning. She had been sitting at the edge of her seat the whole time, worrying. Joshua hadn't responded to any of her texts since lunch. The one message he had sent her had said the same thing he said earlier that morning.

"Trust me."

Trust was easy enough, but why did she have the feeling that her partner and boyfriend was about to do something completely insane? The moment the meeting left out, she took off for the school gates at a run. She needed to get back, needed to see that Joshua was sitting in the study, looking over maps or things like that. She needed to see that she was worrying for nothing, to scold her for making her worry.

She didn't need to see Mr. H leaning against the wall of the school, waiting for her.

"Mr. H?" asked Rhyme, her heart sinking slightly as she looked up at him. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

He turned to look at her, his expression grave. "…Joshua went to Minato," he said.

Rhyme's eyes widened. She felt her heart stop, the color draining from her face. "What?" she asked. "Why?"

"It was the Composer of Minato's terms," said Mr. H. "…He'd give Masayoshi Kiryu back if Joshua turned over his Composer powers. And he'd stop going after you."

She froze. Joshua. Joshua had gone to Minato. She couldn't believe it. Why would he do something like that?

"…He told me not to tell you until tomorrow morning," said Mr. H. "And to let you stay at WildKat tonight."

Joshua was in Minato. Joshua was in Minato with the Composer…and he was going to…

"Where?" asked Rhyme, her fingers curling tightly into fists. If her nails were longer, they probably would have cut into her palm.

"Are you going after him?" asked Mr. H, looking down at her.

"Of course!" said Rhyme, without thinking. "He's my partner! I'm not going to just let him go on his own! He…I…I…"

…_love him. _

She wanted to say it out loud, but she found that at that moment, her throat seemed to seize up and she couldn't find her voice. Mr. H smiled down at her.

"I thought you might say something like that," he said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a pin from his pocket, handing it to her. It was a clear pin, almost transparent, and it was larger than all of the other pins he had. Rhyme took it, staring down at it with wide eyes. She had heard about it from her brother when he talked about what had happened in the UG. She knew what it was in theory. But…

"You know, Neku gave that back to me after he came back to life," continued Mr. H. "Said he didn't need it anymore. But…you might. Bring him back, Rhyme."

"Mm!" Rhyme nodded, pocketing the Harmonizer pin. "Where did he go?" she asked.

"Rainbow Bridge," said Mr. H.

Rhyme stared at him in shock.

Rainbow Bridge. A landmark of Minato, Tokyo.

A bridge bathed in many different colors of light.

There wasn't any time. Rhyme took off at a run, blue light flashing around her as she slipped into the UG.

XxXxX

She ran down the length of the bridge, breathing heavily. The sun had set in the time it took her to get here, and the lights were on around the bridge, showering the bridge in an array of colors. Orange, white, green, and blue. The entire thing seemed surreal to her as she ran. She had seen this in dreams so many times. How had she not made the connection?

Rainbow Bridge, Minato. If she didn't hurry, Joshua would—She couldn't even think about it. The Harmonizer pin was clenched in her hand as she ran. She needed to get to him, before it was too late.

They were standing in the middle of the bridge when she got there. The black-haired man with green eyes blocked her path, wearing the same suit he had been wearing from the party. She skidded to a stop, her eyes wide. Takako stood on one side of the bridge, leaning against the wall and holding onto a piece of rope with a bored expression on her face. The rope was connected to Masayoshi, who stood there scowling with his hands bound behind his back. Takako held her gun in her free hand, watching the proceedings.

Just a foot in front of her was a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes. The Composer of Minato, she had to assume. But if _he _was the Composer…then who was the black-haired man?

And across from them, on the other side of the bridge, stood Joshua.

"Joshua!" she shouted, causing her to look up at him. His eyes widened, and a scowl suddenly appeared on his face.

"Rhyme!" he said. "Why did you come?" The black-haired man turned around, his eyes widening as he saw her.

"Ah," said the Composer with a smirk. "Nice of you to join us, Raimu-chan. Good work, by the way. We could have never gotten as far without your help."

Rhyme's eyes widened and she turned towards him at the same time as Joshua did. "What?" she asked.

"You still don't understand?" asked the Composer, extending his hand. "You really don't remember?"

His fingers closed into a fist and in that instant, Rhyme's right eye flared into pain. She let out a shout, covering it with one hand.

"Rhyme!" shouted Joshua, his head turning towards her.

"Yuichi, why don't you go ahead and enlighten her?" asked the Composer, gesturing at the green-eyed man.

Yuichi muttered a curse under his breath, clenching his fist. "…Before Sanae Hanekoma could bind you to a pin," he said, turning towards her. "In that brief moment that you were erased, Sadao embedded one of his symbols in your eye. He's been seeing everything you've seen since then."

Rhyme stiffened, turning towards the Composer. "You—?"

"That's illegal," said Joshua. "Rhyme died in Shibuya. She fell under Shibuya's jurisdiction."

"She _died _in Shibuya, Yoshiya," said the Composer, Sadao. "Once she was erased, her soul was fair game. It was Yuichi who mentioned what that Hanekoma was trying to do. Once I heard that, I couldn't waste any time."

He smiled. "I was just hoping for a window into Shibuya, even for a short time. Imagine my surprise when she was actually allowed to return to surprise, and my even greater surprise when she became close to you."

Rhyme stood there in shock. All this time, they had been planning, plotting, and trying to keep what they figured out secret, and all this time, Sadao was watching through her eyes? He knew everything that they had talked about. He knew everything that Joshua had ever told her. He had…he had been able to _find _Joshua because of her.

…It was her fault all along.

"Leave Rhyme out of this," said Joshua, turning away from her and looking back at Sadao. "She's not involved in this. Give me my father."

Sadao sighed, extending a hand towards Takako. She smirked, handing him the gun. He raised it, pointing it at Joshua and pulling the safety back.

"Your Composer powers first," he said.

Joshua frowned, and even from her position half-kneeling on the ground, Rhyme could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Don't do it, Joshua!" said Masayoshi, causing Takako to reach over and hit him on the head.

Joshua looked up, a frown on his face. "Very well," he said.

Rhyme's eyes widened. Did he just say—?

"But how about this?" He extended his hand, an orb of blue light forming in it. He held it up and it floated in the air above him. "…Have my father walk to me. And I'll have this head to you."

Sadao frowned, glancing at Takako and nodding. Takako yawned, cutting Masayoshi loose and pushing him forward. Masayoshi glared at her, rubbing at his wrists and taking a step. The orb moved, heading towards Sadao.

"Joshua, what are you doing?" asked Rhyme, turning towards him as the orb neared the halfway point. All she could do was watch from afar…

Joshua turned towards her, a small smirk appearing on his face. "…Trust me," he said slowly, as the orb reached the halfway point, around the same time as Masayoshi did.

There was a flash of light as the orb suddenly veered off course, heading towards Rhyme. It hit her like a ton of bricks, the force of it knocking her off her feet and sending her sprawling on the street about a foot back. The pain in her eye suddenly disappeared, power flooding her entire body. In that instant, Sadao pulled the trigger, a gunshot ringing through the air.

Rhyme sat up, her eyes widening as she saw Joshua fall backwards, blood dripping onto the street and into the water.

"_JOSHUA!" _shouted Rhyme and Masayoshi at the same time.

Sadao, Takako, and Yuichi turned their heads at the same time, facing her.

"Run," said Yuichi, his eyes wide.

**Review Responses:**

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Well, of course Joshua's going to come up with something! The question is…what is he going to come up with, and how does this chapter fit into that? XD Thanks for the review and the constant support!

**The Legendaerie LT – **I'm glad you liked this chapter, and don't worry, there will be Hanekoma in the chapters to come! And yep, I need some said repellent. And don't worry too much about Josh. ^_~

**Jaunea – **Wow. I guess that chapter really did work out well if it had that effect on you. XD I was kinda hoping that that would be the overall theme for the final chapters. Anyway, thanks so much for the review and the support!

**AntiSora – **If you thought Minato's Composer needed to be erased them, what do you think about him now? I'm glad you like the story even with the dark parts in it. I kinda had the feeling it was about to get very dark, and I apologize for this chapter. *sweatdrop* Don't worry, though. There's still eight chapters left to go!

**Noree-Chan – ***takes batch of cookies* Thank you very much! I'm so glad that there are still people who read this story long ago that are still reading it now! I appreciate the support and don't worry, I plan to finish this story before the summer ends.

**Kipper Snack – **Your wish is my command, Kipper Snack ^_^ (read: there will be liberal amounts of badassery from our heroes in future chapters, although at the moment, it's gonna be kinda dark. And yes! Beat is Light! It's all so clear to me now!

**Divine Wolfe – **Thank you! I'm glad you like it! Coming from you, that means a lot! I hope you enjoy these chapters and the upcoming ending of Shiro, Kuro!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Oh, don't worry about it. It'll happen. Anyway, thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like the story!

**iandin123 – **Just like with Kipper Snack, your wish is my command. Except the right to eliminate Takako isn't Rhyme's. It's Josh's at the moment. XD But don't worry, Rhyme has something really important to do as well.

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	24. Dark

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **We're at 23/30 now! It's hard to believe that after over a year, this story's almost done! Thank you so much for all your support, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Theme 14: Dark**

It felt like time stopped in that one moment after the gunshot. Rhyme half-sat, half-lay on the street, pushing herself up with her arms and staring at the scene with wide-eyes. Joshua lay on the ground, a pool of blood forming under him, soaking through his white shirt and silver hair. His hand was still outstretched on the street—stretched towards her.

…_No…_

And then Sadao, Takako and Yuichi turned towards her.

"Run," said Yuichi.

Sadao and Takako moved, and Rhyme quickly jumped to her feet. Sadao held out his hand and orange light crackled in it, a beam of orange heading towards her. Rhyme took off down the street, breathing heavily as the beam neared her. She could feel the heat of it behind her as she ran.

Arms wrapped around her waist and she screamed as she felt herself being pulled off the bridge. The orange beam hit the railing, fragmenting on impact and sending orange light scattering everywhere. The arms tightened around her as they fell towards the bay. Rhyme twisted around, her eyes widening as she saw Yuichi. He looked down at her, his green eyes serious.

There was a flash of white light, and Rhyme's breath caught in her throat as their fall suddenly stopped. Wings appeared on Yuichi's back, light reflecting off white feathers. Rhyme stared.

…_White…_

With a flap of his wings they were flying, soaring high over Rainbow Bridge. Rhyme stared down at the bridge as they flew. People were getting out of their cars, standing around Joshua's fallen body in confusion. But…they could see him? She thought…?

…At the last moment, he must have shifted from the UG to the RG.

Joshua died in the RG.

Rhyme seemed to slump in Yuichi's arms, letting out a slow sigh of relief as she rested her head on her rescuer's chest. Joshua died in the RG, not the UG.

It wasn't over yet.

They were flying over the Minato-Shibuya boundary now. Power crackled all around her as they crossed the boundary—she felt it as a quick jolt of electricity moving through her entire body. She had never felt anything like this before…why now?

Her mouth fell open in surprise as she remembered the orb of light heading towards her. Joshua's Composer powers. Did that mean that he…? That she…?

"Hey, kid," said Yuichi, causing Rhyme to look up.

"Um…yes?" she asked.

"…Where does Sanae live?"

Sanae? It took her a moment to make the connection.

"Mr. Hanekoma?" she asked. At his nod, she quickly turned her head, scanning the city. If that was Hachiko over there, then Cat Street was… "He lives on top of his café. WildKat. It's on Cat Street…that way." She pointed at a green area that she assumed was Miyashita Park. "Somewhere over there."

Yuichi nodded, spreading his wings further and gliding on the air currents as he began to turn. Rhyme couldn't help but stare at them. She had seen Reapers with their black wings many times before, but this was the first time that she had seen someone with _white _wings.

"…Your wings…um…?" she began.

"…You don't see anything," said Yuichi, seriously. "Do you understand?"

"Um…of course," said Rhyme, dropping the subject. He began flying lower, and Rhyme pointed out Cat Street to him. "Over here."

"That building?" he asked. At Rhyme's nod, he flew down to street level, setting her down on the sidewalk. Another flash of light, and his wings vanished. He straightened up, motioning for her to enter the store.

Rhyme swallowed another question and walked in. The doors opened, even though it was well-past closing time. A light was still on in the café. Mr. H was expecting them. He sat at the counter, looking up at Rhyme.

"Oh, Skulls Jr.," he said, leaning against the counter and smiling at her. "How'd it go?"

Yuichi walked in behind her. Mr. H's smile disappeared and he sat up straight, his expression becoming serious.

"Sanae," said Yuichi with a nod.

"…Yuichi," said Mr. H after a while. He looked between Rhyme and Yuichi for a moment, before sighing.

"You didn't get him back." It was a statement, not a question.

Rhyme's face fell, her fists clenching. "…He died," she muttered quietly. "But in the RG…"

"I see…" said Mr. H, frowning at them. He sighed, sitting down and placing his hand over his eyes. "…So Sadao Tsuji…has Shibuya's Composer powers?"

"No…" said Yuichi, causing both Rhyme and Mr. H to turn to him. He gestured at Rhyme. "She has them."

Rhyme's eyes widened in surprise. "I…have them?" she repeated, staring down at her hands. That orb of light. She remembered it hitting her, remembered the sudden surge of power she felt from it. As a test, she called power to her hands. Blue light flared up in response, slightly stronger than normal, but it wasn't the same strength that she had seen Joshua use. She looked up at Yuichi. "…But I don't feel any different."

"You'd still have your own abilities," said Mr. H with a frown. He looked up at her, his hand sliding down his face. "…If Joshua gave you anything, it was his authority."

"The ability to change the rules of the Game…" began Yuichi.

"…and the ability to bring Shibuya's dead back to life," finished Mr. H. "You'll get stronger because Shibuya is a strong UG, but most of Joshua's powers came from himself."

Rhyme frowned, staring down at her hand. Shibuya's dead…

…Masayoshi and Joshua…

She looked up suddenly, turning towards Yuichi. "But—my eye—!" she began.

He turned towards her. "Clear," he said. "That was the last thing Yoshiya Kiryu did. Sadao can't see anything you see anymore, or hear anything you hear." He turned towards Mr. H. "The Composer was using her to spy on you, without her knowledge."

Her face fell. It was because of her that everyone was in this mess. Takako wouldn't have been able to find Joshua in the first place if it wasn't for her.

Focus.

She had to focus. She couldn't allow herself to get swept away by thinking about things like that. She turned to Yuichi.

"…What's Sadao trying to do?" she asked.

Yuichi paused, folding his arms. "…He aims to take the powers of the Composer from each UG in Tokyo," he said, leaning against the wall. "…Breaking down the boundaries between districts and forming one large UG, of which he is Composer."

"…He wants to be the Composer of Tokyo…" said Mr. H. "…That's impossible. He wouldn't be able to maintain a UG that size, with that many conflicting viewpoints."

"I've told him that many times," said Yuichi. "…But he doesn't care. All he wants is the power that it will bring him."

Rhyme looked up in surprise. "So that one time when we were in Minato, when you led us to Atago Shrine—?"

"I was trying to warn you," said Yuichi. "I knew you saw me as suspicious. Unfortunately, Sadao found out. I haven't been able to leave Minato since."

Something still bothered her, nagging at the back of her mind. Rhyme walked over to the window and looked out. Even though it was night outside, the streetlights drove the darkness away, making it as bright as day outside.

"…I can stop a bullet," she said quietly, looking up at Mr. H and Yuichi. "…I did it the other night, when Takako tried to kill me. Joshua's much stronger than me. He didn't need to take that shot. He could have saved himself."

"…But he didn't…" said Mr. H, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly.

"…Because he wanted to die," finished Rhyme. "There's a plan here somewhere."

"Alright." Mr. H nodded at her. "What do you want to do?"

"…I'm going back to the house," she replied. "He might have left something. A message…"

Mr. H nodded, pulling out his phone. "I'm coming with you," he said. "And we might as well bring Kariya and Uzuki along for the ride." He smiled slightly. "Five heads are better than three."

XxXxX

Joshua leaned against the wall, his arms folded. The room they were kept in was dark, the only light coming from a window above the door. It was locked. He had tried twice to open it, and had tried using what was left of his powers the second time. Nothing worked. He stared down at his arms, frowning.

So this was what it was like to be dead?

He thought he would feel…different somehow. But no, he felt the same as if he had just slipped into the UG for a while. Except he was weaker now. It reminded him of the time he had had to leave the UG during his game with Kitaniji and partner with Neku. He didn't think he would get caught in that situation again.

"How long do you think they'll keep us here?" asked his father. Joshua turned towards him. Masayoshi was seated in one of the few chairs, a frown on his face.

"Not much longer," said Joshua. "…They've given us enough time to sweat it out."

"Mm…" said Masayoshi. "And then what?"

"We'll play a game with them," said Joshua, smirking.

"A game?" repeated Masayoshi.

Joshua nodded. "To be precise, _their _Game."

"I see…" said Masayoshi. He paused for a moment, and Joshua could see him thinking it over. Considering it. Despite the fact that he was very much out of his element, Masayoshi Kiryu knew how to adapt.

It was one of the things that Joshua admitted to inheriting from him.

"If we win, we get brought back to life," said Masayoshi. "…But we have nothing to bargain with. What's stopping them from killing us right now?"

"They don't have my authority yet," replied Joshua. "And they don't know how to get it."

"…So in other words," began Masayoshi. "…We're relying on Raimu Bito."

"At the moment," said Joshua with a small giggle. "Does that bother you, Father?"

Masayoshi wasn't fooled. He turned towards Joshua, his eyes narrowing. "…Do you trust her that much?"

"She's my partner."

He didn't feel like he needed to say anything else.

XxXxX

Rhyme opened the door to the darkened study, looking around and stepping inside. Mr. H walked in after her, followed by an irate Uzuki dragging around a sleepy Kariya. Yuichi had chosen to stay at WildKat and watch the place in case anything happened. Mr. H had already called Beat, Neku, and Shiki and asked them to go there. Takako had gone after Masayoshi and Rhyme to get to Joshua.

There was no telling if she would try the same thing to get to Rhyme.

"What are we looking for?" asked Mr. H.

"…Anything," said Rhyme, frowning as she looked around. She felt a twinge of sadness as she noticed the map she and Joshua had been looking over the night Masayoshi was killed. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago, they were sitting here like nothing was wrong.

If she could, she would go back to that time, but there was no point in living in the past. "…Joshua wouldn't have left a written message. He didn't tell us anything, because I think he figured out he was being watched somehow…" she continued. "…But…he might have left some sort of hint."

She just had to hope that she wasn't wrong. She let the other three look around the room, walking over to the map first. It was spread out on coffee table, but there were no markings on it of any kind. Rhyme sighed, placing one hand on the map.

…_Come on, Joshua…_she thought, tracing the compass on the map. _You left something…_

She looked up suddenly, her eyes widening. The arrow on the map's compass, the one that pointed north, was pointing at a table that lay against the wall, underneath a mirror. The last time Rhyme had seen it, that table held picture frames and a flower vase. This time, all of that had been pushed aside to make room for a chessboard—one that looked like it was already in play.

"Hey…" said Kariya from behind her. "What's this?"

Rhyme looked up, watching as Kariya picked something up off the seat of one of the chairs. _Her _chair, Rhyme realized. The chair she usually sat on when she studied here. Kariya frowned, holding it up to the light.

A chess piece.

The white queen.

Rhyme walked over to him. Kariya held out the chess piece towards her, a frown on his face. Rhyme took the piece, her fingers brushing lightly against it as she held it in her hand. Her heart thudded in her chest. To her, it seemed like the only sound in the room as she turned around, walking towards the chess set.

She stared down at it, her eyes widening. The pieces were in the exact same position that they had been during her last chess game with Joshua, except in reverse. This time, her pieces were in black, Joshua's in white. The black pieces rounded around the white king, seeming to surround it.

She remembered this play. She didn't see the problem with it while she was playing, but now, looking at it from outside the game, the black king was vulnerable, all his effort placed into attack.

Because he thought he won.

"…Rhyme?" asked Mr. H from behind her. "Figured something out?"

Rhyme stared down at the piece in her hand. The white queen—the strongest piece on the board. She had always found it odd that the queen was so strong. Was it so that there would be a piece to complement the king—the most valuable piece on the board but one of the weakest ones?

Footsteps behind her—Hanekoma had come to look at the chessboard as well.

"Rhyme?" he asked again.

Rhyme swallowed, her heart beating hard in her chest as she placed the white queen on the board. That was what Joshua had done in that game. He moved the queen so that it was defending his king, and at the same time…

"…Checkmate…" she murmured under her breath.

"…Did you say something?" asked Mr. H.

_"The key is to make your opponent think they've beaten you. Once they think they've won, they become overconfident and more prone to making mistakes…"_

She stared at the chessboard, the tip of her finger still on the white queen. Rhyme let out the breath she was holding, pulling her hand away and letting her fingers close into a fist.

"…_Never underestimate the advantage you get when your opponent underestimates you."_

…_I understand…_

"Uzuki-san?" asked Rhyme suddenly, looking up.

"Huh?" asked Uzuki, looking up from the book she was rifling through.

"How many Players are left in the Game?"

"…Four," said Uzuki after a moment. "Tomorrow's Day 7."

"…Alright," said Rhyme. "Forget Day 7. Let all the surviving Players know that they've won. Joshua said three people could come back to life."

"Giving us a day off, then?" asked Kariya with a small smile, balancing his lollipop on his lip.

"You could say that," said Rhyme, smiling back.

"WHAT?" screamed Uzuki. "But that's—!"

"A stupid move?" finished Rhyme. "Something a distressed girl who became Composer by accident and had just lost her partner would do?"

She smiled brightly, clasping her hands behind her back. "Exactly."

**Review Responses:**

**Divine Wolfe – **Sorry for the cliffhanger. XD But I update everyday, so…I hope it isn't too bad. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, and I hope it answered some of your questions! Thank you for the review!

**WaterAngel-Alyssa – ***pat pat* Don't worry, this is TWEWY. Death is only important when it happens the second time around, XD. Thanks for the review!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Thank you, Saro~ That means a lot coming from you! And what do you mean spoiling it for the others? I didn't really get that part. Anyway, thanks for the review, and I'm glad you liked it!

**iandin123 – **XD Soon enough, soon enough. Don't worry about it. First, though, plot points have to be wrapped up =). But don't worry, the last few chapters will be full of it.

**Chloe5500 **– Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it, and don't worry if you haven't been able to review for the last few chapters. That's alright!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **I'm not really sure what you mean. What part of last chapter were you talking about? The part where he gave his powers to Rhyme instead of to Sadao?

**AntiSora – **I'm glad you like it! And the answer to that question (as you probably picked up from after this chapter) is yes, he did. XD And yes, Yuichi really doesn't agree with what the Composer of Minato is doing. I'm really glad you like it! The plot should be wrapping up soon.

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	25. Lonely

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Grr…sorry for the late update. I've been trying to prepare for the move to college and I haven't had much time. Just a warning, updates COULD slow down a bit until the move is done. I hope not by too much, but I have to do other things too .

Anyway, enjoy this chapter! We're at 24/30! The finish line is in sight!

**Theme 24: Lonely**

Rhyme let out the breath she was holding as the phone went straight to voicemail, shutting it off and collapsing backwards onto the couch. She stared at her phone's screen, snapping it shut and placing it on the table. Rhyme sighed, covering her face with her hand. She guessed that phones weren't a big component in Minato's Game, at least not the way they were in Shibuya's. Not that reaching Joshua would help. She didn't even know what she was supposed to say.

She stared down at the glass floor beneath her, watching the colorful fish swim around and brush against the glass. The Shibuya River wasn't exactly the best place to sleep in, but after four days of the Reaper's Game and seventeen days as a Noise, Rhyme wasn't complaining. It was the only secure place in Shibuya that Sadao hadn't seen through her eyes, because it was the only place in Shibuya that she hadn't been in since coming back to life.

As long as she was here, she was invisible. According to Kariya, Minato's Reapers had been sighted lurking around Shibuya. They were watching her and looking for her, and they were being careless. That at least meant that they thought she was beaten—and it allowed them to buy some time. For Joshua, and for herself.

It had been two days since Joshua's death. Yuichi had said that Minato's Game would have started yesterday. This was Day 2. If all went well, Joshua and Masayoshi would be playing it. She didn't like to think of the alternative—that Joshua's plan had failed and Sadao Tsuji had decided to just erase him.

It was thinking like that, along with the constant thought that she was going to fail, that kept her up at night. She had no idea if she was doing the right thing—if she was even on the right _track_. Everyone expected her to get this done. And besides all of that…

She sighed.

…_I really wish you were here…_she thought, staring down at her hands.

"You holdin' up alright?" asked Beat, walking into the room with a paper bag in his hand.

Rhyme managed a weak smile. "I'm doing my best," she said, glancing at the paper bag. "Where'd you get that?"

"Sunshine," said Beat, dropping the bag on the table. "Got ya some chicken nuggets."

Rhyme's eyes widened. "Beat, you know we're not supposed to leave the area!" she said.

Beat shrugged. "I had Lollipop walk with me. Ain't no decent food around here." He reached into the bag, pulling out a box of chicken nuggets and placing it on the table in front of her. Rhyme sighed, opening the box and picking one up.

"Thank you…" she said, taking a small bite.

"No problem," said Beat, through a mouthful of burger. He sat on one of the other couches in the room. He looked around the room, and Rhyme knew he was looking for the entrance to the Room of Reckoning.

"Yo, why don't you go into _that _room?" asked Beat, pointing in the general area. "The one with the Composer's chair."

Rhyme blinked, looking up at him. "Why would I want to go there?" she asked. "It's the Composer's chair."

"You the Composer, ain't'chu?" asked Beat.

"Interim," said Rhyme, taking another bite. She couldn't even taste the food, but she knew she needed to eat something.

"Huh?" asked Beat.

"…For now," clarified Rhyme. "...Until we get Joshua back."

She looked away from him, scanning the table. A map of Minato had been laid out on it, right beside the map of Shibuya that she and Joshua had used a lot. Shiba Park had been marked off on the map as a starting point for the Game, along with Minato's Game's possible routes. She had also marked Rainbow Bridge and Atago Shrine. Beat followed her eyes, turning to look at the map as well.

"You're really serious," he said.

"Hmm?" asked Rhyme, looking up. "About what?"

"Bout getting Prissy back," said Beat. "You really care about him?"

Rhyme took a deep breath, staring down at her hands. Trust me, he had said before he died. But really, from where she was looking at it, it was going both ways. She was trusting him to stay alive. He was trusting her to bring him back. She couldn't let him down.

"…Yeah," she said, nodding. "…And he's counting on me."

Beat frowned, turning to look at her. Then, he took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "A'ight," he said, gesturing at the map. "What we got so far, and what'chu want me to do to help?"

XxXxX

By the time Rhyme walked in through the doors of WildKat—escorted by a disgruntled looking Uzuki—her head was spinning. They had been studying the maps for most of the afternoon, but hadn't been able to come back with much. She had tried to ask Yuichi where Sadao's equivalent of the Shibuya River was, but he said he didn't know. Like Hanekoma, he was just a rule-keeper.

Neku and Shiki were sitting in the café when she walked in. Rhyme sighed, walking over to their table and sitting down. Neku frowned, noticing the tired expression on her face.

"Nothing?" he asked.

"Nothing," replied Rhyme. "I have a few ideas, but the only way I can check for sure would be to actually _go _to Minato."

"Which is out of the question," said Yuichi from where he stood leaning against the café wall.

Rhyme nodded. "Right now, they think we're beaten…"

"…And people on the losing end don't just waltz into enemy territory…" finished Yuichi, nodding.

"He should be playing the Game now," said Rhyme. "I tried to reach his phone, but…I'm guessing phones aren't so important for Minato's Game?"

Yuichi nodded. "They aren't. The Composer of Minato is a little…old-fashioned. His Game revolves around the use of certain Japanese characters instead of pins. Each person has a "symbol" or a character that relates to them. That's what they use to fight Noise."

"Minato hasn't caught up with the 21st century yet," said Mr. H with a grin from the other side of the counter. Yuichi rolled his eyes at him.

"So, wait a minute…" said Neku, folding his arms and looking up. "…Joshua was shot by the Composer and now needs to play his Game?"

"Now see, Phones?" asked Mr. H. "I told you what goes around comes around."

"…So not all UGs use pins…" said Rhyme, bringing the conversation back to the matter at hand. She stared down at the Harmonizer pin she still carried with her.

"Nope," said Mr. H. "The pins were Josh's idea."

"But partners can still use Fusion attacks," said Yuichi. "The circumstances where this is possible are as rare as a pair getting a Harmonizer pin in Shibuya. They have to share at least one character between them, usually in their names."

"Like the _kiri _in Kiryu…" said Rhyme, thinking of Masayoshi and Joshua. "Or the _yoshi_ in Masayoshi and Yoshiya."

"So any foreigners are screwed," said Beat, taking a seat next to Neku.

"I don't think the Composers of Minato have changed the rules of the Game very much in the past three hundred years."

"If we knew where the Composer stayed, we'd at least know where to start…" said Rhyme with a frown, placing her hand on the table.

"It used to be Atago Shrine," said Yuichi. "But that was one thing Sadao _did _decide to change when he took over. I don't know where he moved it to, but it's probably somewhere in clear view of Rainbow Bridge."

"What makes you say that, Yuichi-san?" asked Rhyme.

"...Sadao wouldn't go anywhere without someone watching his back," said Yuichi.

So at least they had a place to start. Rhyme took a deep breath, nodding at Yuichi. She couldn't help feeling like they were running out of time.

XxXxX

The Noise disappeared in a flash of static, the area around him fading as he returned to Shiba Park again. Masayoshi frowned, staring down at his hand as the timer disappeared. He was only starting to get used to fighting these things. It was hard to believe that Joshua had been doing this behind his back for years.

Well…it wasn't that hard to believe. After all, he was very seldom home.

"That should be it for today's mission," he said with a frown, turning to look behind him. Joshua was flipping through his phone again. Masayoshi frowned. It wouldn't help—he was fairly certain the phone company didn't provide coverage for dead people.

"Yes, I imagine they'll be knocking us out _any _second now," he said with a smirk, looking up to face Masayoshi. "And I was hoping for a little more free time today."

"You're trying to get back to Shibuya, aren't you?" asked Masayoshi.

Joshua paused, and for a moment, Masayoshi thought he looked surprised. Then he smirked, tucking some hair behind his ear with one finger. "My, my, have you been _spying _on me, Masa?" he asked, giggling a bit at the end.

Masayoshi took in a breath through his teeth. Patience, he reminded himself. At the moment, Joshua had no idea who he was…

"…Not at all," he said. "I heard you mention the scramble crossing. I happen to be from Shibuya myself."

"Oh?" asked Joshua. "You're not a local, Masa? And here I thought you knew exactly what you were doing."

"I was…killed in Minato," lied Masayoshi, frowning. "I'm trying to get back."

"Mm…but it's a little odd," said Joshua. "Why would someone your age want to play the Game? Most people above fifty don't mind dying."

_That _made Masayoshi look up. Above _fifty_? "I'm forty-five," he said.

Joshua turned to look at him, his smirk widening. "So not quite over the hill yet," he said.

He _really _needed to pay more attention to his son. At least, long enough to teach him some manners. "…No," he said. "Not quite. And I'm trying to get back for my son's sake."

"You have a son?" asked Joshua, raising an eyebrow. "But no mention of a wife and you aren't wearing a wedding ring." He giggled. "One of those scandalous situations?"

…_I wish._

"I was married," he said. "We divorced. My son lives with me. He's a teenager, and an only child." Masayoshi turned to look at him, his mouth turning up in a rare smirk. "He's irritating and a spoiled brat, but he's, unfortunately, mine. And despite what he might think, he's not ready to be on his own."

"Hm…" grunted Joshua in response, watching as the people in Shiba Park continued to walk past, unaware that they even existed.

"What about your parents, Joshua?" asked Masayoshi.

Joshua shrugged. "I have a father," he said, distractedly scanning the Minato skyline for something. Masayoshi wondered what he was looking for. "…He probably doesn't care much where I am. But dying right now would be inconvenient, so I need to get back."

"I see…" said Masayoshi, frowning. So that was what Joshua thought…?

"…Your son…" muttered Joshua, making Masayoshi look up.

"Hmm?" asked Masayoshi.

"He sounds like someone I'd know," said Joshua with a small giggle. "What's his name?"

Masayoshi's eyes widened slightly. "His name is…" he began.

He was never so grateful for the sudden blackness that swallowed him as they were knocked out after the day's mission was done.

_Yoshiya. His name is Yoshiya. _

XxXxX

Mr. H waited until he was sure Neku and Shiki were asleep, before walking downstairs and into the café. The lights weren't on in the café downstairs and the doors were locked, but Yuichi sat at the counter, brooding over a cup of coffee.

"Y'know that's gonna cost you 580 yen," said Mr. H with a small grin, walking over to the other side of the counter. Yuichi looked up.

"You'd seriously charge _me_?" he asked.

"Why not?" asked Mr. H. "Coffee costs money, you know."

Yuichi sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "You haven't changed, Sanae."

"And you're still as boring as ever, Yuichi," said Mr. H, holding out his hand as Yuichi counted out 580 yen.

"I don't see why you'd even need the money," said Yuichi, putting the pocket away. "Your CAT items seem to be selling very well."

"I'm somewhat of a celebrity around here," said Mr. H with a grin. "Does that bother you?"

"Not at all," replied Yuichi. "You were always a little irregular." He took a sip of his coffee.

"So…was it you?"

Yuichi blinked. "Was I what?" he asked.

"Were you the one that spread Taboo Noise in Shibuya that one day?" asked Mr. H, taking a seat behind the counter.

"Ah…" said Yuichi, absently stirring the coffee in his cup with the stirring rod. "…Yes, that was me. I thought you might make the connection. And I needed to confirm that those two really did have a pact between them."

"…Josh and Rhyme," murmured Mr. H. He sighed. "They're both too young to get involved in all of this. Rhyme especially."

"Everyone's too young compared to us," said Yuichi with a faint smile.

"Speak for yourself," said Mr. H, grinning. "I happen to look very young for my age. And I think you're a couple of hundred years older than me."

"One hundred and seventeen, but who's counting?" asked Yuichi. "Have you heard from Katsumi lately?"

"Nothing but static from Chiyoda," said Mr. H. "But if Katsumi's still the same Katsumi we know, she's giving them hell over there."

Yuichi frowned. "Interesting analogy," he said. "Especially considering what we are."

"I've never been a very good Angel," said Mr. H with a smile. "I'm surprised they still keep me around."

"Well, you do alright when it counts," said Yuichi with a shrug. He stared down at his cup. "Those two…do you really think they'll come through on this?"

"Joshua and Rhyme? Without a doubt."

**Review Responses:**

Wow, there's a ton of them this time~

**Divine Wolfe – **Yay! I'm glad you liked the chess metaphor! I was thinking it over a lot because I had Josh wearing Pegaso in an earlier chapter and I realized while replaying the game that all their pins were chess-themed and, well, one thing led to another! Anyway, thanks for the review, and I'm glad you liked it!

**Noree-Chan – **Yay! I'm glad that chapter had that effect on you, since I was kinda hoping that some people would react that way. And I'm glad you liked that moment where Rhyme figured it out. I was doing my best to write it in a way that would make some people do that, and in a way that wouldn't seem too overdone. Thanks for the review!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Well, we don't know much about her personality from the first four days she's in the Game, but she was plenty devious in Another Day, so who knows. XD Thanks for the review!

**AntiSora – **XD I really should have added in Uzuki's reaction. Oh well, no use crying over missed moments of awesome. But yeah, she would have been pretty upset. And I guess Neku and the others know, but I have a hard time writing them…grr, *pokes Neku and Shiki* Start acting naturally in this story, will you? Anyway, thanks for the review! I always love reading your reviews, because you review every chapter!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Ooh, I see! And ew, I didn't even think about Twilight when I was writing this. I probably still would have used the white queen anyway, because a chessboard is the perfect touch to the "White/Black" title, and the white queen kinda seems like a good analogy for how Rhyme fits in Joshua's plan. Thanks for the review!

**Vixen's Shadow – **Oh, hey! You guys are back! I missed you guys. XD Thanks for coming back to the story and for all the support, and thanks for reviewing!

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Sorry about that! This update was delayed due to rivers and college. One after another. But here it is now, up and ready for all of you! Thanks for the review, and I hope you had time to get emotionally ready for this one. XD

**iandin123 – **They both are really, now that Josh has gotten Rhyme clued into the chess metaphor. They're playing it from both ends of the field, and Joshua has something really cool up his sleeve, which you'll find out later. XD Something to do with his entry fee, and I won't say any more. ^_~

**Jaunea – **Wow! I'm really glad that that chapter had that effect on you! I guess that means I must have done something right! Anyway, I was waiting for weeks to add that scene with the chessboard in, so I'm glad it worked! Here's a new update for you, and thanks for the review!

**Chloe5500 – **Thanks! I'm glad you like it and I'm glad you like where the plot is going! I really appreciate your reviews and your support!

**Read the Avatar – **Wow, a triple review! And XD That would be awesome but I'm afraid it didn't happen this time. Oh well, we get them playing the Game. I hope you liked this chapter, and thank you very much for the review/s! I appreciate them a lot!

Whew~ Review responses almost turned out as long as the chapter. Thanks, guys! ^_^

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	26. Want

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **And finally, this chapter is up! I'm moving to college tomorrow, but I'll still be able to update! Hopefully it won't be too slow, because we're in the last 5 chapters now! This one is 25/30.

**Theme 28: Want**

Neku and Shiki sat on the floor of the small living area above WildKat, their textbooks spread between them as they compared notes for a test they had in a few days. Shiki was leaning against the wall, her notebook balanced against her leg as she scribbled a few things down from the open textbook to her right. Neku sat in front of her, working in silence. His earphones hung around his neck, but they were on, and she could hear the music spreading through the room.

Rhyme lay on her stomach a few feet away from either of them, supporting herself on her hand and running her finger idly down the page, a distracted frown on her face. Shiki looked up at her, her brow furrowing in concern. It should have been Day 4 of Joshua's Game, and Rhyme had hardly eaten anything at all today. She was paler too, now that Shiki was studying her carefully, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

It looked like the stress from the past few days were really starting to wear her down.

"Rhyme?" asked Shiki. The younger girl blinked, propping her hand up on her book and turning her head to look at her. Neku stopped for a moment, turning around to face her as well.

"Hmm?" she asked.

"Are you alright?" asked Shiki. "…You haven't said anything all day."

"I'm alright," said Rhyme, a weak smile appearing on her face. "I'm just…a little tired, I guess…"

She turned back towards her book, flipping the page slowly. Shiki frowned, tapping her pencil on the corner of her notebook. "Do you wanna come sit with us, Rhyme?" she asked, patting the area of the floor next to her. Rhyme looked up at her for a moment and shook her head, pushing herself up to her feet.

"…I think I'm going to go talk to Mr. H a little," she said. "But I'll be back later, and then we can have dinner together. Is that okay?"

"Um…sure…" said Shiki, frowning in concern as Rhyme left the room, closing the door behind her.

XxXxX

Another Noise erased.

Joshua lowered his hand from the Japanese character floating in the air in front of him, watching as everything faded away and he was back on the streets of Minato again. Minato's Game was old-fashioned, but he had to admit that he had its charms. It was a creative move to use the characters of their names themselves against the Noise. He would commend whoever thought it up…three hundred years ago.

Whoever it was, it certainly wasn't Sadao Tsuji.

His partner appeared beside him, panting slightly. Joshua glanced at him, smirking.

"A little tired, Masa?" he asked, folding his arms. "You must be getting old."

Masayoshi looked up, shooting him an injured glare before schooling his expression into something smoother and more emotionless, straightening up. "It's no wonder I'm tired, considering you didn't do any of the work that time."

He giggled, tucking his hair behind his ear. "Oh, didn't I?" he asked. "I erased that last Noise."

Masayoshi gave him a flat look. "That was a four chain battle."

Joshua pretended to give him a heavy sigh. "Fine," he said. "I suppose I could do more. Next time."

Masayoshi reached out, swatting him lightly in the back of the head before walking down the street. Joshua glared at him. Really, who did this man think he was? His father? "…Now, what did I do to deserve that, Masa?" he asked.

"Respect your elders," he said without turning around.

Joshua sighed, following him down the street. As he walked, he looked up, scanning the skyline for any Reapers watching them. Four days, and still no idea where Minato's equivalent of the Shibuya River lay. He wondered what he had been thinking when he accepted the terms of this game. He ducked underneath an awning, making sure to hide his face from view.

Minato didn't use Support Reapers in the way that Shibuya did. There weren't even any walls up. That was a good thing, because it meant that their contact with Reapers was limited to Harriers. As long as he and his partner avoided Harriers, Sadao wouldn't be able to find them.

He couldn't help feeling like he was forgetting something important—a key component to this game that he was playing. But it couldn't have been anything major. He knew himself well enough to know that he wouldn't have gotten into this situation without a plan. He glanced at his cellphone again, flipping it open and staring at the blank screen.

When he had first woken up in Shiba Park, he noticed something odd about his phone. Someone had replaced the original screensaver with—of all things—the picture of a _girl. _A blond girl with blue eyes that looked oddly familiar, and yet for some reason, he couldn't place her. She reminded her a bit of Neku's third partner, Daisukenojo Bito. Perhaps a cousin? He had thought in the beginning that that might be a clue for the game he was playing with Sadao, but he had kept an eye out for her and hadn't seen her since.

"Joshua, are you coming or not?" asked Masayoshi from ahead of him, still not turning around to face him.

Joshua rolled his eyes, tucking his phone back into his pocket and walking a little faster. Well, whatever happened after the next few days, he knew this. He'd be glad to go back to Shibuya and not have to deal with his partner anymore.

XxXxX

Reida Rikushu stood on top of the rooftop as Joshua and Masayoshi walked past on the street below, ducking out of view as Joshua looked up. She watched the two of them carefully, a smirk on her face as she raised her phone to her ear and dialed. There was a pause, and then Sadao picked up on the other end, sounding impatient.

He was always impatient about something. But she was sure that he would like this news. "…I found them," she said, her smirk widening as the wind blew through her long brown hair. She kept one arm folded against herself, pressed against the red Oriental style dress that she was wearing.

"Should I bring them in?"

She paused for a moment, listening to Sadao's answer and making sure not to let the two of them out of her sight.

"Understood," she said, snapping her phone shut. She held out her hand, her black Reaper's wings stretching out behind her as she disappeared from view in a flash of light.

XxXxX

Rhyme took a deep breath, staring down at the table in front of her. She knew that Neku and Shiki were worried about her, running off like that. She just didn't feel like sitting with them—preparing for something as normal as a test at school. She had almost forgotten that they _had _a test. Her mind over the past few days had been completely occupied by what was going on in Minato and in Shibuya, and about the fact that today would be Joshua's Day 4.

Four days. She had been erased on her fourth day. She had heard one of the Reapers recently describe it as the point of no return. By Day 4, most players were erased. The ones that made it through were the ones most likely to reach the seventh day.

She knew that Joshua and Masayoshi would survive Day 4. Joshua wasn't somebody who would lose so easily. But if she thought about it too much, she started getting afraid. Afraid that all of this wasn't worth anything, because the people they were trying to save were already dead. Afraid that she was taking up too much time. That she was too late…

"So…" said Mr. H, spreading his hands on the counter and leaning on them. "What did you want to talk about?"

Rhyme looked up at him. She almost forgot that she came down here supposedly to "talk" to him. She sighed. "I don't know…" she admitted, looking back down at the table. "I don't think…I can do this, I guess…" She stared down at the table, idly tracing circles on it. She was at the end of her rope and she didn't know what to do anymore.

"I see…" said Mr. H, stepping around the counter and walking over to her table. It was the table she had first started talking to Joshua at, she realized. She had been doing her homework here…one day in the beginning of winter. "So, what now?" he asked, sitting down. "Are you going to give up?"

She looked up in surprise. Whatever she had been expecting from Mr. H, that wasn't it. "Give up?" she repeated, her voice coming out as more of a frightened squeak than anything. "O-Of course not. I mean…I still have to try, right? I won't know what happens until I keep trying. But…I guess I feel like no matter what I do…it's not going to be any use. Because I can't do anything to help him."

Mr. H paused for a moment, studying her carefully. "…What do you wantto do, Rhyme?" he asked.

Rhyme looked up, meeting his eyes. What did she _want _to do? When she first woke up after coming back to life, she didn't know. She felt like a part of her was missing. Everything she dreamed of…everything she wanted…all of that was gone forever. A part of her hadn't known how to cope. If it wasn't for Beat, Neku, and Shiki, she might have just faded away. But they had all come together to help her, and slowly, she started building up new wants, new dreams. She didn't know what she wanted to do with her life, but she knew where to start, and she had started taking baby steps, going towards that.

And then…she met Joshua. And he had turned her whole world on its head. Her old wants…things like living a normal life…well, they didn't seem to apply anymore. She hadn't realized how involved she was in this until he was gone and she was trying to run it. But what did she want to do?

"…I want to get him back," she said slowly. "I want…I don't know…"

"You know," said Mr. H, with a small smile. "You just don't wanna tell me."

"…I want…to be with him, I guess…" said Rhyme slowly, her fingers curling inwards. "I want to help him…and to be there so he doesn't have to do all these things on his own…" Joshua had a habit of not telling anyone if something was bothering him, just playing it off and smirking about it and throwing around insults and jokes if anyone asked. But there were moments with her…where he had actually said something. Talked to her.

Opened up…if just for a little bit.

_I want to tell him…_

She looked away from Mr. H. There was a short pause, and then something clinked onto the table. Rhyme looked up in surprise, seeing the Harmonizer pin in the middle of the table.

"You forgot this," said Mr. H, pushing it towards her with a smile.

Rhyme picked the Harmonizer pin up off the table, rolling it around in her hand. It was larger than all the other pins, and as always, it was clear all the way through. She had never even had the chance to use it. After Joshua's death…she had forgotten it existed.

"But…I don't have…" she began.

"You'll always be partners," said Mr. H, interrupting her. "Even if he's not here right now, the two of you _are _partners, Rhyme. Trust him."

"…I trust him…" began Rhyme. "…I just don't think that he was right in trusting me…"

"Then you don't trust him," said Mr. H. "Trust is a funny thing. You say you trust him, which means you trust in his decisions. And he decided to trust you. If you really did trust him, you'd trust in yourself a little bit." He smiled. "It's confusing…but think about it a little. It'll take you to new heights."

Rhyme stared at Mr. H for a moment. It was easy to say that, but when she thought about it, she didn't even know if she could. If she was capable. But Mr. H was right. If she thought about it that way, she already lost. She had to keep thinking that there was a solution. She just had to keep hoping, and to keep trusting that Joshua wasn't wrong. But she couldn't even find where Minato's Composer lived…

Her fingers curled around the Harmonizer pin.

Wait a minute…

Height…

Rhyme's eyes suddenly lit up and she looked up sharply. Height! Of course! She jumped up from her seat so fast that she knocked the chair over, ignoring Mr. H's question as she ran towards the counter, vaulting over it easily and rummaging in the cabinets below for the map to Minato.

"Height…" she muttered under her breath, staring at the map. "New height…"

"Rhyme?" asked Mr. H, walking over to her. "What's gotten into you?"

"Yuichi said that Minato's Composer used to live in Atago Shrine," muttered Rhyme under her breath. She felt feverish. Her heart was pounding with excitement and her mind was racing as she placed a finger on Atago Shrine. "Sadao changed it. Atago Shrine used to be the highest point in all of Tokyo. You could view anything from it. But that changed. So the highest point in Tokyo also changed." It was so obvious. All this time…it had been so obvious and she never even noticed it.

"…So…you're saying…" began Mr. H.

"Tokyo Tower," said Rhyme, with a triumphant grin, pressing her finger over the spot on the map. "He's in Tokyo Tower. You could see the Tower from the bridge…so I guess that means you can also see the bridge from the Tower."

Mr. H stared at her for a moment. "I'll get Yuichi," he said, quickly. He turned around and stopped, looking back at her and grinning. "Good work, Rhyme."

"Thanks," said Rhyme with a bright smile.

_Don't worry, Joshua. _

_We're coming. _

**Review Responses:**

**Jaunea – ***pat pat* Don't worry, don't worry! It'll be alright! You'll see by next chapter how all of that plays in! Thanks for the review, and I'm sorry that this was so late!

**iandin123 – **XD Sorry if I confused you there. Don't worry, I'll explain it next chapter, I promise! Anyway, thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like it! And yeah, I know what you mean. I'm happy it's almost over, but at the same time, I don't know what I'll do with myself when it is. But I have some one-shots and other stories planned for the SK continuity, so if you're still interested, keep an eye open!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **He's not in disguise. It was one of their entry fees, but…I won't say who. XD Thanks for the review!

**AntiSora – **Hmm…I wonder. XD I'll explain the entry fee next chapter! And I'm glad you like it! Thank you so much for the review, it's appreciated! Yeah, Beat hates Josh, but he loves Rhyme, so I guess in the end he'll make a few allowances~

**DivineWolfe – **Yay! Thank you for your support! I'm so glad you like it and that you think it's awesome! I hope you like this chapter…it took me forever to get out. Stupid writer's block. Thanks for the review~

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **And we're at 25 now! Hard to believe that it's almost over. And you'll see by next chapter what's going on, I hope XD The next two chapters are gonna be very important!

**DarkAlliGator – **Yay! I'm glad you like it! (Although I don't know when you're going to see this response, since that review was for Chapter 1). But thanks! I hope you keep reading!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	27. Wicked Smile

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Sorry this chapter took so long! Had to settle in at college! That said…I'm not too happy with how it turned out, but I hope I still managed to get the point across! We're at 26/30 now, ALMOST THERE!

**Bonus Theme 05: Wicked Smile**

The night was cool and crisp, signaling the coming end of summer. Rhyme stood outside WildKat, rubbing her arms. She wasn't cold—it was almost impossible to feel weather or temperature while in the UG—but she could feel chills running up and down her spine, goosebumps forming on her arms.

Kariya stood behind her to escort her back to the River, his face still holding its permanently bored expression as he twirled his lollipop around in his fingers. She was supposed to go back and rest, and then they would meet at the Station tomorrow to execute the plan, but now that things were finally in motion, she didn't think she could get any sleep.

If she was right, then they were getting Joshua back. And if she was wrong…

No, she couldn't think that way. She was right. She had to be. Uzuki, Mr. H, Kariya, and Yuichi were all acting on her advice. Her orders. She couldn't afford to be wrong this time. She just had to believe that.

Trust in yourself, Mr. H had told her.

Maybe that was what she needed to do.

_Just hold on a little longer, Joshua…_she thought, beginning to walk down the street with Kariya following behind her. _...We'll be there soon. _

XxXxX

Sadao sat in his throne when Reida walked in, straight-backed as usual, his elbows resting on the armrests of the chair and his fingers clasped together and steepled. Beside him, leaning against the backrest of the chair—or perhaps throne was a better word for it—was Takako Matsuda, smirking like a smug cat as she twirled one lock of blue hair around her finger. Her Reaper wings were extended, the tip of one of them a few scant inches from Sadao's face.

Reida raised an eyebrow, noticing that her frilly Pavo Real dress had been unfastened slightly at the collar, baring a little more skin than she usually did. Takako's self-satisfied gaze rounded on to her, and Reida had to squash the urge to gag.

As if Takako had the right to act like that. Sadao only kept her around for errand work and…other purposes. She wasn't privy to the Composer's plans. Not in the way that Reida was. She wasn't loyal only to Sadao.

Not in the way that Reida was.

She was a tool. A weapon. A _toy_. Something to be used and discarded. The means by which to bring about an end.

Not Reida. Reida was his indispensable right hand. The Conductor of Minato.

At this point? The _de facto _Composer.

And for many years, this had been _their _plan.

She stopped walking five feet from his chair, as usual, leaning forward and bowing towards Sadao with business-like precision. Reida studiously ignored Takako, keeping her eyes trained on the floor at his feet.

"Reida," he acknowledged with a nod.

At that acknowledgment, she straightened up, keeping her arms at her sides as she turned towards him. Her Reaper wings—wider and more intricate than Takako's—snapped neatly against her back as she straightened up, folding into place. "I've brought you Masayoshi Kiryu and Yoshiya Kiryu, just as you requested," she said.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise. _Pleasant _surprise, noted Reida, feeling a sudden flood of pride. Netting the two of them hadn't been easy, but with Yoshiya weakened from his transition into Minato's UG and from giving his Composer powers to his little pet, it hadn't been impossible.

And she had done it without a gun, and without having to be brought back from erasure, unlike _some _people in the room.

"Where are they?" asked Sadao.

"In the containment room," she replied. Takako's scowl and sudden folding of arms, just visible from her periphery, was all the affirmation that she needed. "They're still knocked out. They should wake shortly."

"Very well," said Sadao, getting up. He brushed off Takako with a careless wave of his hand. "I'll be there when they wake. Reida, with me."

"Sir," said Reida, business-like and professional as always. She took a step to the side to allow Sadao to pass, keeping her face turned towards him. Takako moved to follow.

Sadao didn't even turn around. "Not you, Takako," he said, motioning for Reida to follow.

Reida kept her face smooth, turning sharply on heel and allowing her long brown hair to swish behind her as she followed Sadao out the room. Once her back was turned to Takako, she let a small smirk come onto her face.

XxXxX

Joshua awoke to darkness.

He kept his eyes closed at first, taking in inventory of his surroundings. He was lying on the ground on something hard, and he had been turned over on his side. He was lying on his arm. It was numb from the position he had been in. He guessed that his captors had simply tossed him onto the floor. His head felt heavy, and his mouth felt like someone had reached in and lined it with cotton while he was unconscious. There was something warm lying on the ground beside him.

Masa. He supposed he needed to be thankful that his partner was still alive. After all, without a partner, erasure was imminent.

What a challenge it was to actually be dead. He flipped over onto his back, opening his eyes.

Everything around him was dark. He could hear the sounds of cars moving in the street below, could hear a distant police siren, but he couldn't see anything. At first he thought that he had somehow gone blind, but a quick call of blue light to his fingertips reassured him that he could still see.

"You're awake?" muttered Masayoshi from beside him.

Joshua didn't answer, pulling himself up into a sitting position and dragging his arms behind him. Chains clinked behind him as he moved. He stared down at himself. His arms and legs were shackled. Hm…he supposed it was nice to know that he had woken up in such an uncomfortable position because they had cared enough to put him in it.

There was a clanking sound and then a heavy door opened, light flooding into the small room. Joshua squinted as the light seared his eyes, looking away as two people walked into the room. Sadao and Reida, he realized. So he had been captured after all…

"Good," said Sadao with a nod. "You're awake." He stepped aside to allow Reida through. The Conductor of Minato held up a lantern, the firelight from inside it lighting the room softly. Sadao closed the door, shutting out the harsh fluorescent lightning outside, but not before he had caught a glimpse of what lay behind the door.

"…Tokyo Tower…" muttered Joshua, leaning back on his hands. "I should have known."

"But you didn't," said Sadao, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. He leaned against the door as Reida stood there with the lantern, stone-faced. "And as per the terms of our wager, that means I win. I hope you haven't forgotten."

"How could I forget?" asked Joshua, sneering at him.

It had been the only way to allow Sadao to let Joshua play the Game instead of simply having Minato's Composer erase him where he sat. A game, just between the two of them. All Joshua had to do was find where Sadao lived before Sadao's Reapers found him. And not get erased, of course. It should have been easy, but somehow, he had been found. If he won, Sadao would restore him back to life and leave Shibuya alone. But if Sadao won, Joshua would reveal to him the location of his Composer powers.

Joshua's mind was racing. Without his Composer powers, there was very little he could do in this situation. It was hard for him to admit it, but he was starting to think that he might have lost this one.

Might have lost Shibuya...

He wouldn't let any of that show on his face as he continued to look up at Sadao, defiant.

"…Joshua…" said Masayoshi from beside him, turning over onto his back so he could face him. Joshua ignored him.

"Then," said Sadao, "Tell me. Where is Raimu Bito?"

For the first time that night, Joshua was genuinely surprised. His eyes widened slightly, a confused look on his face. Raimu Bito? Had he heard that name before? "…Who?" he asked.

Sadao stared. He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "Don't play dumb with me, Yoshiya," he said. "You lost your little game. Where is Raimu Bito."

"I don't know anyone by that name," said Joshua.

"Like hell you don't!" shouted Sadao, angry this time. He took a step forward and raised his hand, striking Joshua hard against the head. Joshua let out a small grunt, falling over onto his side. He stared up at Sadao. "Raimu!" continued Sadao. "You're little pet! Your _girlfriend_! You gave her your Composer powers before you died!"

Joshua blinked. Well, now this was an interesting revelation. Girlfriend? Unlikely. He wasn't the type to get attached to anyone in that way. But Sadao seemed honestly upset by this…and there had been that odd photo on his cellphone. Masayoshi's breath hitched in his throat at the mention—did he know something that Joshua didn't? If it was true…He stared up at Sadao, the pieces finally falling together.

"…I told you," said Joshua, "I don't know anybody by that name."

Sadao kicked him in the stomach. Hard. Joshua's eyes watered, but he clamped his mouth shut before a yelp could come out, curling up and waiting out the pain as Minato's Composer took a step back and rounded onto his Conductor.

"…Perhaps, his Entry Fee, sir?" asked Reida, her eyes wide in surprise.

"That's impossible!" said Sadao. "His Entry Fee is his memories of his father, isn't it?"

"No…" said Masayoshi. Joshua looked up, realizing that the man had inched closer to him after Sadao had kicked him, and was now lying between him and the Composer of Minato. "That was my Entry Fee. Not Joshua's."

Memories of his father…Joshua turned to Masayoshi, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. That would mean that…

…Well, for one thing, it would mean that he was never getting rid of this partner.

Sadao's face was red. It was almost purple. "H-His powers then!" he said, grasping at straws. "The majority of his powers! Otherwise why is he so weak now?"

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm no longer alive," said Joshua, his smug tone returning as he pushed himself up, smirking at Sadao. "Have you ever thought about that? A live human has considerably more power than a dead one. But no, I don't suppose you've considered that. After all, you don't seem the type to consider anyone else's views. And my situation has always been rather…unique."

If there was any bright side to this situation, it was seeing the way purple blotches appeared on Sadao's face as he spoke. "You shut up!" said Sadao.

"I don't think I should," continued Joshua, still smirking. "Unless you don't want to hear why it is I can't tell you where my powers are."

Sadao stared at him for a moment, giving him a venomous glare. When he didn't speak, Joshua took that as his invitation to continue.

"…If what you're saying is true," said Joshua, "…then my Entry Fee was obviously my memories of this Raimu girl. And if I trusted her enough to give her my powers, I must have known that that was what was going to be taken from me. Which means I made that bet aware of this, and aware of the fact that I was likely to lose. In other words, I made it so that I could never tell you where my powers are. Even if I lost this game."

He frowned slightly as he tried to think back to that time. He couldn't remember any of this at all, even though he knew it must have been going through his head. It felt odd having pieces of his memory missing. He wondered if that was how it felt to be Neku.

"…You're too far removed from your UG to even sense your Players Entry Fees," said Joshua, giggling a bit at the end of that as he tucked some hair behind his ear. "That makes this so much more convenient. You had no idea what I lost. But…hmm…" He frowned, thinking over the situation. "I must have known that this would come out eventually, and that you'd erase me. Which means…"

He looked up. "…I only needed to buy time," he said. "And it's been four days. So I believe I've done that."

Sadao muttered something under his breath. It sounded guttural, almost like a growl. Joshua tilted his head, looking up at him. "Don't you get it, Sadao?" asked Joshua. "It's over. You won this game. But in the end…when it counts…"

The corners of his lips turned up in a wicked smile.

"I win."

And at that moment, screams echoed out from behind the door, footsteps rushing towards them.

**Review Responses:**

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Did it turn out the way you expected after this one? Thanks for the review and I'm glad you liked it!

**Divine Wolfe – **Yay! I'm glad you like it and I'm glad you found it cute! I hope you like this one! Next chapter things will really start heating up! And then they'll slow down for a bit, then heat up again!

**iandin123 – **Yep, confrontation very soon! Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it XD And yep, I'm gushing over them too! I can't wait until this is over and I can start writing the one-shots I have in mind!

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **I hope it became kinda clear now…although I'm not sure I did that scene well. *kicks it* Anyway, thanks for the review!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Yep! I think Neku likes the way things are turning out too XD What goes around comes around, Josh~. And I'm so glad you think about it that way! I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't up to par. Stupid college! Thanks for the review!

**AntiSora – **Thanks! I'm glad you liked the chapter and thanks so much for the college advice. I'm finally settled in and it looks like I'll be a little slow in updating, but it'll get done!

**finalhearts824 – **Yay, glad you liked it! I hope you read all the way up to this response and see it, because it's up here for you when you want it~

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	28. Touch

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **Hey guys! Sorry that this took so long to get up. School has been kicking my butt. *sadface* But don't worry, because I'm not abandoning this story!

**Theme 27: Touch**

Shouts echoed from outside the room, footsteps frantically pounding down the hallway towards the door. Sadao muttered a curse under his breath, exchanging a quick glance with Reida. The two of them left the room quickly, the door closing behind them with a thud and leaving Joshua and Masayoshi alone in the darkness once more. Joshua sat in the darkness for a moment, his hands resting against the metal floor as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

There were footprints, yes, but they weren't…exactly human footprints. Noise? In the dark, it was hard to tell, and without most of his powers, he couldn't quite feel them. He closed his eyes, quietly scanning the area.

Yes. Definitely Noise.

The door rattled and his eyes quickly snapped open. Blue light flared on one side of the door and it swung open, revealing a small blond girl with blue eyes. He stared at her, recognizing her as the girl from the picture. His supposed girlfriend, if Sadao was to be believed. Looking at her—dressed from head to toe in Wild Boar—he couldn't quite see why. But there was…an air about her that intrigued him, if only a little bit.

Perhaps that was where this supposed relationship had started.

"Joshua…" she said, sudden relief in her expression as she saw him. He stared at her, not saying anything. The girl quickly ran over to him, hugging him briefly. He stiffened, not quite knowing how to respond to this invasion of his personal space before she let go, grabbing his chains with one hand. Blue light flared, breaking through the shackles with a loud snap. She did the same with the other one, her hands busy.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she said as she worked. His second chain snapped, and he got up as she moved over to his father, rubbing at his wrists with his hands.

"Bito-san…" said Masayoshi, turning towards her. "You came."

"It took me a little while to find the place," said the girl, giving Joshua an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

There were very few occasions where Joshua found himself at a loss for words, but this was one of them. What was someone supposed to say to a girl that may or may not have been his girlfriend, but that he had no memory of whatsoever? "…So…" he said, pushing himself to his feet. His tone was still teasing. "…I'm guessing you're Raimu?"

She looked up sharply from her work. "…You don't remember me?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I don't," said Joshua, tucking a lock of hair behind his ears. "But you have my Composer powers, don't you?"

She nodded mutely, a look of pain crossing her face for a moment before she quickly went back to work. "Yes. But there's no time for that. We have to move."

She broke the last shackle, helping his partner…no, his father to his feet. It was almost funny. He must have been twice her size, but he leaned on her, his expression strained. "I'm alright," he said, taking an experimental step forward. Raimu watched him with concern for a moment, before turning towards Joshua.

"We have to run," she said, quickly heading out the door. "Follow me!"

There wasn't any time to argue. Joshua nodded, following her out the door. The floor they were on was completely empty, although he could hear the sounds of effort and battle coming from the floors above them and below them. She stopped, staring at the floor above them with a concerned look on her face and muttering something under her breath.

"Noise?" asked Joshua with a frown, folding his arms and looking at her.

"Taboo Noise," she said, looking back at him. "Mr. H is up there, giving them a hard time. It won't distract them for long though. You remember Mr. H?"

"Of course," he said. Looking back, he should have been surprised about that. If not his Composer powers and his status as Composer, his memories of Mr. H should have been his Entry Fee. He supposed hindsight was always clearer than foresight. "Are you sure about that estimate though?" He smirked. "Minato's UG is rather weak."

"But Sadao Tsuji isn't."

He couldn't quite argue with that. Except that Sadao had a lot to learn before being strong in personality. They hurried towards the elevator. She extended her hand, blue light surrounding the button and pressing on it before they reached it. The three of them crammed inside, and Raimu quickly pressed the button as Reida appeared on the floor, her eyes widening in surprise as she quickly ran towards the door.

The elevator doors closed just in time and Raimu let out a sigh of relief, leaning back against the elevator wall and closing her eyes. Joshua turned to study her. Her face was pale, and there were dark circles around her eyes. "…So far so good…" he heard her mutter under her breath.

"You figured this out all on your own?" he asked her, his expression thoughtful.

She gave him a tired smile. "I had help, from Mr. H and Yuichi-san."

Yuichi…where had he heard that name before? He thought back to his death, remembering, if only briefly, a touch of white wings. Ah, yes. Minato's missing Producer. The doors opened and then they were running again, out the building beneath the tower and into the streets of Minato.

XxXxX

Rhyme ran as if her life depended on it (which, technically, it did). Her breathing came in ragged pants, her hair plastered to her face from sweat as the three of them rushed through the city, dodging Reapers and heading towards the station. Shibuya. As long as they got to Shibuya…She kept that in mind as she ran, her fists clenched. She tried not to think about the fact that Joshua didn't remember her, after all of this.

She would have time to worry about that later.

Shinagawa Station loomed in front of them, and Rhyme nearly cried in relief. She had studied the map many times before coming out here, but studying the map and actually moving through the city were two different things. She glanced behind her once to make sure that Joshua and Masayoshi were still following, quickly running towards the last car of the train.

If she timed it right…if she planned it right…

The doors were beginning to close. She took a deep breath, running onto the platform and jumping into the car. Joshua and Masayoshi followed, the door closing just millimeters behind Masayoshi's foot.

She took deep breaths as the train began to move, propping herself up on her hands and turning towards Joshua. He was lying on his side staring at her, a frown on his face as if he was trying to figure her out. Her hand reached out just briefly, towards him as her eyes filled with tears. Her hand fell against the floor of the train. She wanted to touch him, just to prove that he was there, but she couldn't do that. He might take offense…since he had no idea who she was.

"How touching," said an angry voice from inside the car.

Rhyme's eyes widened and she quickly scrambled to her feet. Reida stood leaning against the back of the car, a scowl on her face and her fists clenched. Her Reaper wings were spread out on either side of her. Rhyme quickly stepped forward, putting herself between Joshua and Masayoshi. Behind her, Joshua stood up, a frown on his face. Masayoshi stood up as well, putting a hand on Joshua's shoulder.

"Reida Rikushu," said Joshua. "Conductor of Minato."

The one that had hurt Kariya and Uzuki. Rhyme's eyes widened as Reida took a step forward.

"Unfortunately, you're little reunion ends here," she said, turning towards Rhyme. "It was a valiant effort, but you shouldn't have involved yourself in this in the first place."

"D-Don't come over here!" said Rhyme, blue light crackling around her fingertips. Feeble blue light, compared to the gold light that was surrounding Reida.

"Wow," said Reida, rolling her eyes. "I'm terrified, really. What do you think you can do to me?"

"I-I…I'll…" Rhyme's voice faltered, the light around her hands flickering out and nearly dying. She took a deep breath, forcing more power in her hands.

"You'll do what?" asked Reida, fixing her eyes on Rhyme. "Erase me? You who needed to be escorted by your Conductor just to get safely from your little hiding spot to that silly little café?" She scoffed. "You couldn't if you tried." She looked past Rhyme, turning to Joshua. "_This _was your grand plan? Putting your faith in _this _girl? You must have really been out of options."

Rhyme's eyes widened and she stepped back, as if she had been dealt a physical blow. Reida looked at her, a disgusted look on her face before she took another step forward, closer towards them. The train stopped at another station—the second stop, Rhyme noted, counting them off on her head. People walked in and out, unaware of the drama going on in the center of the aisle. Rhyme took a step back, and so did Masayoshi and Joshua.

"I…I can still do this…" said Rhyme. "I can still…"

"You can't," said Reida. "It's over. Give up. We won. If you give up now, I'll spare all your lives."

Rhyme swallowed, the light in her hands faltering as the train made its way to its third stop. She couldn't fight Reida. It would make sense to just give up.

"Please…" said Rhyme. "…Don't come any closer."

Emboldened now, Reida took another step forward. "You may be the Composer of Shibuya now, but we're not in Shibuya, little girl, and here, you have no power."

Rhyme stared at her for a few long moments, her eyes wide. Then, her arms fell to her sides, and she exchanged glances with Joshua. He gave her an approving look, understanding suddenly on his face. She gave him a small smile, before turning back to Reida.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Rhyme.

Reida's eyes widened and she quickly looked around, staring at the scenery outside the window. Shibuya Station neared, the train having already crossed the border into the city. Shadows rose up suddenly from the train around them, on either side of Reida. Kariya and Uzuki stepped out from them. Uzuki's expression was triumphant. Kariya looked bored as usual, twirling his lollipop around in his hand.

"I think the word we're looking for is…'checkmate'," said Kariya, smiling at Reida. "Long time no see."

Reida stared at Kariya and Uzuki, her eyes wide. She turned to Rhyme. "You _bitch_!" she shouted, her face contorting in anger as she lunged at Rhyme.

Rhyme quickly raised her hands, blue light flaring outwards from them and hitting Reida head on. Kariya and Uzuki lunged forward as well, striking at her. There was a flash of bright light and then when it cleared, Reida Rikushu was gone. Gold light hovered in the air behind her, rushing towards Rhyme and embedding itself in her skin. She gasped, her eyes wide as power flooded her.

The train stopped at Shibuya Station. Rhyme stepped out of it shakily, Kariya, Uzuki, Joshua, and Masayoshi behind her. Kariya patted her on the back as she walked, a grin on his face. Masayoshi was watching her, an unreadable expression on his. Even Uzuki looked pleased, and Joshua…Joshua walked behind her, where she couldn't see him.

Yuichi stood on the platform, frowning at them.

"Did you do it?" he asked Rhyme.

"Yeah…" said Rhyme, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I did it."

She still couldn't believe it. Her entire body trembled. It had _worked_?

"Good…" said Yuichi, nodding. "You know what to do now, I imagine?"

"Mm…" said Rhyme, turning towards Masayoshi and Joshua. "…Kiryu-san was killed in Shibuya, which means his entry in Minato's Game was illegal. So…as Composer of Shibuya, I can give him back his Entry Fee."

She extended a hand towards him, her brow furrowing in concentration. There was a flash of light, and then Joshua let out a small gasp, his hand going up to his head. Rhyme stared at him in concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Joshua waved her off, straightening up and turning to glare at Masayoshi. "…I'm irritating and a spoiled brat?" he asked.

Masayoshi turned towards him, a smirk appearing on his face that made him look so much like Joshua. "It's the truth," he said.

"And whose fault is that?" asked Joshua, folding his arms.

Masayoshi's smirk widened as he reached out, placing his hand on Joshua's shoulder. "You get it from your mother," he said. "But don't worry. We'll work on that."

"Joy…"

Rhyme waited until they were finished talking, glancing at Yuichi. "And…um…according to Yuichi-san, Reida was carrying the authority of Minato's Composer. Which means…since I erased her, I took that authority. So…I can return Joshua's Entry Fee and restore you both to life."

She held out her hand again, her expression uncertain as she faced Joshua. There was a flash of light, white light surrounding both Joshua and Masayoshi. When the light disappeared, the two of them were standing there in the RG. Masayoshi was looking around, confused.

Joshua, meanwhile, was looking straight at her.

"…Rhyme…" he said.

Rhyme shifted into the RG, tears in her eyes. And at that moment, it didn't matter that they were on a crowded station platform, with people surrounding them on all sides. He moved forward and kissed her, his arms around her waist as he pulled her close to him. Rhyme's arms went up, wrapping around his neck and clinging to him as if she was afraid he was going to disappear again. People stopped and stared. Masayoshi stared. The people in the UG stared.

Neither of them particularly cared.

Blue light, unseen by anyone except the people in the UG, surrounded them both, flowing from Rhyme into Joshua, renewing their pact and restoring Joshua's Composer powers back to him.

There was still Sadao and Takako to defeat. Still Minato to deal with. Still things to do and things to explain.

But at the moment, they were the only two people in the world.

**Review Responses:**

**Randian Warrior 501** – Yay! You figured it out! Well, here's the continuation, and I hope this doesn't worry you too much! ^_^

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Yay, I'm glad! I didn't want it to be too confusing, so I'm glad that that chapter finally made everything clear. And yeah, Masayoshi cares for Josh, poor guy. XD Hopefully soon it'll be returned.

**AntiSora – **Thanks! I pretty much had to dig up my old notes to find out where I was going with this, and a lot of stuff had to be made up again and outlined again! Still, the story is winding down to a close, and I'm glad you liked it! It's just three chapters left to go!

**WaterAngel-Alyssa **– Well, it looks like both of them were planning. I hope you like this chapter, and thanks so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them! Sorry that this is taking so long to upload.

**iandin123 – **XD Sorry this took so long, then. I know you were impatient, and I kept looking for the time to write this stuff down! Still, it looks like it's finally starting to look good for them! And I hope you like this chapter, thanks for the reviews!

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


	29. Love

_**Shiro, Kuro**_

~ 30 Forbidden, Joshua x Rhyme ~

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: **I CANNOT believe how LATE this chapter is! I am SOOOO sorry guys! I honestly have been trying to find time to write this for weeks, but when I have the time, I don't have the inspiration, and when I have the inspiration…I'm five minutes late to class trekking halfway across campus. Grr! Anyway, there's just two chapters left after this, the finale and the epilogue! No matter how long it takes me to do it, I will not give up!

**Theme 03: Love**

Rhyme stood in front of the door to Joshua's house, Beat glowering over her shoulder. His arms were folded and he didn't seem too happy about the whole situation, which made Rhyme wonder why he insisted on coming along in the first place. Her fingers unwound themselves from around the hem of her shirt, slowly going up to press on the doorbell.

The door opened, but it wasn't done by Nori or any of the other servants of the house she recognized. Masayoshi Kiryu stood behind the door, dressed in his usual suit. He looked tired, but then again, who wouldn't be after yesterday? And since the whole world had forgotten that he and Joshua had died, both of them still had a lot of work to do. He looked over the two of them, his eyes landing on Rhyme.

"Bito-san…" he murmured quietly.

"…Kiryu-san…" said Rhyme nodding. She couldn't look him in the eye. Even after saving him, she couldn't stop thinking about what he had last told her. "…Good morning. Is Joshua here?"

"He's in the study," said Masayoshi, stepping aside. "You know the way. But Bito-san?"

"…Yes?" asked Rhyme, halfway through the door.

"Can I steal your time for just a moment?" asked Masayoshi.

Rhyme swallowed, feeling a little nervous. "…Sure," she said. "Um…Beat…is that okay?"

"Yo, whatever," said Beat, scratching his head. "I gotta bone to pick with Prissy anyways."

Rhyme grimaced. "Don't do anything…drastic," she said, as Beat began walking down the hall.

"Yeah, yeah, relax," said Beat, waving his hand around in the air. "I ain't gonna hurt him."

As he walked away, Rhyme sincerely hoped she didn't just hear her brother say 'much' at the end of that sentence. Masayoshi reached around her and placed his hand on the door, pushing it shut. The door closed with a click, and Rhyme had to try hard not to jump as she turned towards him.

"Bito-san…" said Masayoshi, his face grave. He looked even older now than he had before he died…something that Rhyme wasn't sure was possible. He sighed. "…I believe I owe you an apology."

Rhyme blinked. That had not been what she was expecting. But Masayoshi seemed generally sincere. His eyes were fixed on hers, his posture rigid. Even though his face seemed smooth, she could see the traces of swallowed pride in the way he was frowning at her, and his shoulders were tense. It had taken a lot for Masayoshi Kiryu to come out and say he was sorry. In a sense, he was about as proud as Joshua was.

"…I was…unfair," continued Masayoshi.

Rhyme took a deep breath. "…It's not your fault…" she said. "You were just looking out for Joshua. And you didn't know about…" She waved her hand in the air. "…all this."

"Even so," said Masayoshi. "…I feel like I should have given you the benefit of the doubt, Bito-san."

The benefit of the doubt. Isn't that what she had been saying to herself ever since the issue of her and Joshua first came up? She looked up at Masayoshi now, saw some of the pain in his face, hidden behind his eyes, and realized that even though she had been angry with him back then…she couldn't fault him for that. For what he had said and done.

"…It's alright," she said, smiling up at him. "Let's just start over. Is that okay?"

Masayoshi stared down at her for a few moments as if considering something. Then, he took a deep breath, and for a moment almost seemed to deflate. He took a few steps over the window, looking out onto the grounds and past the gates at the city of Shibuya. "…I was in love with her," he said after a while, his fingers resting lightly on the windowsill.

Rhyme stared at Masayoshi for a moment, her eyes widening in understanding as everything seemed to click. "…Joshua's mother?" he asked.

He nodded. "Aya," he said, still not looking at her. "…I thought she felt the same. But it was a lie. I realized it shortly after we married. She was only interested in what I could give her. When Joshua was growing up and he started claiming—." Masayoshi shook his head. "—started _seeing _things…Aya couldn't handle it. It wasn't worth it. She made me pay her off so that she wouldn't fight for custody, not that I thought she would anyway."

"…So you did…" began Rhyme, remembering something Joshua had mentioned in the past. Thinking that he drove his mother away…

"I did…" said Masayoshi. He turned away, glancing down the hallway where Joshua's study was located. "…I know I haven't exactly been father of the year," he said. "…But make no mistake, Bito-san. I love my son."

Rhyme hesitated. Felt for a moment that she needed to say _something_, because Masayoshi seemed so lost standing there, buried in the past and what he hadn't been able to change. She reached out, putting her hand slowly on his arm. He stiffened, turning towards her.

"…It's not too late yet," she said. "…He cares about you too…even though he won't admit it. I saw him after you died. Maybe now that the two of you understand each other a little…you can build on that."

Masayoshi's eyes widened for a moment. Then he looked at her, nodding quietly.

"I hope you're right," he said with a sigh. "I hope you're right. Still…we all have to start somewhere."

"Mm-hmm!" said Rhyme, smiling and nodding.

XxXxX

It felt almost odd to sit in his study again, the map spread out on the coffee table in front of him. He had found it sandwiched between two books and folded up neatly while it awaited his return. Rhyme's careful handiwork, no doubt. He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, taking a sip of the tea that had been laid out on the table beside him as he traced the map with one finger. What felt even odder was the fact that his father knew exactly what he was doing.

When he told Mr. H that he intended to find a solution to his double life soon, this wasn't quite what he had in mind. Although he supposed having his father know his secret made it…easier…he wasn't quite sure what would happen now that the older Kiryu knew so much about him.

But that could be saved for another day. At the moment, there was still Sadao to defeat. He was probably prowling around outside the edges of Shibuya right now, looking for an opening or a weak spot he could take advantage of.

The door to the study opened. Joshua looked up sharply, expecting Rhyme.

He raised an eyebrow.

Not…quite.

Daisukenojo Bito stood in the doorway, one hand pressed against the open door as if it was about to slam shut at any moment and throw him back out into the hallway. Not that it would take much to do that…even if he was bracing himself. A quick flick of the wrist from Joshua, and the door would lock itself and he would be alone with his thoughts.

_Rhyme's brother…_he reminded himself. He sighed inwardly, leaning back against the sofa and eyeing his cup of tea idly as he allowed his face to slip into his usual bored, smug expression.

…He was probably going to need something a lot stronger than tea.

"Yes, Daisukenojo, how can I help you?" he asked, smirking at Beat.

Beat stared at him for a moment before walking forward, letting the door slam shut behind him. He walked all the way up to the edge of the couch and then stopped, glowering over Joshua like an angry bear. Or, well, in this case, boar, given the state of his clothing.

"I don't like you," said Beat, glaring down at Joshua.

Joshua's smirk widened. "We established that," he said. Really, anyone with eyes could see that Beat didn't like Joshua. The feeling was mutual.

"Lemme finish!" said Beat, raising his hand. "I don't like you. But Rhyme likes you. So until you screw up and she puts your ass out on the street, I'mma gonna put up with you. A'ight?"

Joshua blinked, his smirk fading. Was Beat really offering to bury the hatchet? How long had he been gone exactly? He paused, staring at the older Bito. Beat was glaring down at him, looking angry but sincere…

It wasn't like Beat had the finesse to lie. The question was, did he want to accept it? Was Rhyme worth tolerating someone that he found had about the same mental capacity as a frozen Neanderthal?

"…Alright," he said, nodding once at Beat.

Beat stared at him for a few moments more before extending a hand. "So…we cool?" he asked.

Joshua reached up and clasped hands with Beat, his smirk spreading over his face again. "Sure," he said, giggling slightly. "We're 'cool'."

"Good," said Beat, clasping Joshua's hand in return. There was a pause, and then Beat squeezed tightly, nearly cutting off circulation to Joshua's fingers. Joshua hissed in pain. He thought he could hear the bones in his hand crack in protest as Beat leaned forward.

"But I'm warnin' you, Prissy," he said. "You put one hand on her that ain't where it should be, and you gonna wish she let you stay dead."

Beat released Joshua's hand quickly, stepping back. For a moment, Joshua considered asking Beat exactly _where _his hands were allowed to be, but he decided that could wait until he could feel sensations in his fingertips again. Dying was a rather tiresome process, after all.

"Got that?" asked Beat, slipping his hands into his pockets and trying his best to look 'tough'.

Joshua was unimpressed. "…Do you really think I'd hurt Rhyme?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Beat stared at him for a moment as if considering the question. Then, he slowly blinked and shook his head.

"Good," said Joshua, leaning back against the sofa. "Then we have an understanding."

Beat watched him for a few more moments before nodding once, turning around and heading out the door. The moment he was gone, Joshua let out the breath of pain he had been holding, shaking his hand out.

XxXxX

Rhyme let out the breath she was holding when she saw Beat leave the room, placing her hand on the door and letting it swing open. Joshua looked up from where he sat, rubbing one of his hands with the other. She stepped into the room, closing the door lightly behind her and walking over to him. He moved over in the couch so that she could sit down, but he didn't say anything, watching as she sat down next to him.

Rhyme looked at him. There were dark circles under his eyes—she guessed that he hadn't slept at all last night—but he didn't look tired. The map of Shibuya was spread out in front of him, along with a map of Minato. Several sticky notes were stuck to various points of the map, with notes written on them. Joshua seemed in the process of writing another note—there was a date written on the sticky note on top of Tokyo Tower.

He smirked at her as she settled into the seat, leaning back and resting his arm on the backrest of the couch, just around her shoulder.

"You look rested," he commented, looking at her.

"I got some sleep tonight," said Rhyme with a smile. "It felt a little weird sleeping at home, but nothing out of the ordinary happened."

"Mm, I bet," said Joshua, his smirk widening. His fingers rested on her shoulder.

Rhyme tilted her head towards him and smiled. "Might have had something to do with the person sitting right outside my window."

Joshua feigned innocence. "Oh?" he asked, his eyes widening just slightly.

"Mm-hmm," said Rhyme. "I woke up to go to the bathroom this morning and saw a shadow sitting in the tree…staring at his phone."

"Well, I wonder who that might have been," said Joshua, still smirking as he looked away from her.

"Mm, so do I," said Rhyme, grinning. She leaned back into her seat, into his hold. It felt comfortable like this, and safe. The words she had been meaning to tell him since she got back were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't seem to find her voice.

"How did it go this morning?" he asked. "I hope you didn't mind being sent out on short notice, but…" He smiled briefly. "Good help is hard to find." His fingers played with the ends of her blond hair.

"I don't mind," said Rhyme. "I didn't find anything weird. Um…the Minato-Shibuya border felt a bit odd to me…but I called Uzuki over and she didn't feel anything. Yuichi-san said it's because I still have part of Reida's powers…Anyway, I didn't see anything about Sadao."

"Right," said Joshua, a frown on his face. His fingers wove themselves through the ends of her hair as he turned towards her, his eyes serious. "About that, Rhyme…" he began. "…After Sadao is stopped, what are you planning to do?" He paused, his fingers falling from her hair to rest on her shoulder again. "You could become Composer of Minato if you wanted to be."

Rhyme shook her head. "I don't want to be," she said. "Yuichi won't take it, I don't know why—he says people like him aren't allowed to—but he says there are some Reapers in Minato that he can trust with it. I'm just holding it temporarily."

Joshua stared at her for a few moments, as if to see for himself if she was serious. Then, he let out the breath he was holding, some of the tension seeming to leave his back and his shoulders. He looked relieved for a moment, before the smirk appeared on his face again. "How much do you know about Yuichi?" he asked.

Rhyme shook her head. "Not much," she said. "He was going to tell me something today, some secret that only Composers know, but I told him not to. I said it was only temporary, and I didn't want him to get in trouble." When Joshua raised an eyebrow, Rhyme smiled. "…I kinda…got the feeling that there's more to Mr. H and him than they say there is."

Joshua blinked at her. "Has anyone ever told you you're surprisingly perceptive, Rhyme?"

Rhyme smiled. "Actually, no," she said.

"Let me be the first," said Joshua, smirking again. "Especially since you managed to piece together that mess I left behind."

"I remembered the chess game," said Rhyme. "That's all, really."

He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose, his fingers playing with her hair again. "You don't give yourself enough credit," he said. His hand went up, fingers tracing the line of her beanie. He frowned as they brushed against the clear pin that was pinned there.

"What's this?" he asked.

"…Harmonizer pin," said Rhyme. "Mr. H gave it to me when I went after you. He thought we could use it."

"Hmm…the two of us using that," said Joshua, his fingers brushing lightly against the pin. "We just might break the universe, Rhyme dear."

"Only if we have to," said Rhyme with a giggle. "But it might be useful, going up against Sadao."

Joshua frowned, lowering his hand and pulling away from her. "…About that," he said. "I think we need to have a talk."

"What?" asked Rhyme, moving back a little bit so that she could see him clearly.

"Sadao," said Joshua. "…I think it's best if you…sat this one out."

"_What?_" repeated Rhyme, "But we're partners!"

"I can handle Sadao on my own," said Joshua. "…You risked a lot coming to get me. I'd…rather you didn't take any more risks like that."

"You can't handle Sadao," said Rhyme. "He still has the powers from Shinjuku and Chiyoda! That's three UGs in all! Joshua—!"

He cut her off, his hand covering her mouth. "Mr. H, Yuichi, and I should be enough to take him."

Rhyme shrank away from his hand. "What if he uses his Noise Form?" she asked. "Then you'll have to fight him on your own! Or what if he brings help? Takako's still with him."

"He'll want to get back at you for erasing Reida, Rhyme," said Joshua, his expression serious as he stood back. "I want you to stay in the River until it's all over."

"If you lose, we're all dead anyway," said Rhyme. Her mouth felt dry. She thought she was shaking. Joshua couldn't go alone this time. She couldn't lose him again. "Joshua, please don't do this."

He paused for a moment, staring at her. Then, he sighed and moved away, standing up and heading towards the door. "Kariya and Uzuki have instructions to take you to the River if Sadao shows up," he said.

Rhyme swallowed, her fingers closing around the edge of her seat as she turned towards him.

"…I love you," she said quietly.

He stopped in his tracks, his head half-turning towards her. She stood up, facing him.

"I love you," she said, more confidently this time. "…And I don't want to lose you again, so…please. Let me help. I can do this. Just don't…don't go on your own, Joshua. Please…"

She trailed off, looking away. Her confidence disappeared in an instant, and she felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. She heard him turn towards her, heard him take a step forward.

His hand rested on her shoulder, making her look up. He wasn't smirking. Instead, he had a resigned look on his face.

"…You'll be the death of me one of these days," he said, sighing theatrically and giving her a tired smile. "Alright," he said.

"Joshua…" she began.

His smile turned into a smirk as he leaned forward, kissing her. Rhyme kissed him back, her arms going around him. His hands threaded through her hair. He pulled back slightly from the kiss, his face still near hers as he looked her in the eye. "For what it's worth," he said, still smirking. "I love you too." He leaned in, kissing her again. Her world faded away, until he was the only one in it.

When he pulled away, he was holding her beanie in his right hand. She hadn't even noticed that he had taken it off her head. He held it up, smirking as he studied it.

"Rhyme," he said, teasingly. "Has anyone ever told you that you needed to wear more feminine clothes?"

Rhyme tilted her head innocently. "But Joshua," she said. "Won't people think it's weird if I start wearing your clothes?"

Joshua blinked at her. Then, he reached out, lightly hitting her in the arm with the beanie. Rhyme jumped back, bursting into laughter.

**Review Responses:**

**Divine Wolfe – **I definitely intend to keep writing stories. Thank you for the review. It really means a lot to me. I'm sorry that this chapter came out so late. I hope the next two chapters will come out quicker. Thank you so much for your support, and I hope you like this one!

**The Dani-Chan Replika 2.06 – **Next chapter won't be so fluffy, but that's why we have an epilogue! Thanks for the review, and don't worry, I think the next story I write in this continuity won't have such a heavy plot (now that we have had this one to get them together).

**iandin123 – **Haha, can't you just see that going through Reida's head when Rhyme plays that card? And I'm soooo sorry about the absolute inexcusable lateness of this chapter! Honestly, I went maybe one week without writing anything at all *headdesk*. Still, despite that, I hope it turned out alright!

**Vixen's Shadow – **Glad all of you liked it, even if it was different parts of it! Thanks for the review, and I hope you like the last two chapters as they're coming up.

**0er0 –**I don't know if you'll actually see this, since your review was for Chapter 1, and from the way it sounded, you wouldn't be reading on. I actually recognize some of the things you pointed out in the earlier chapters, and I don't really have an excuse for them beyond the fact that, well, this is fanfiction. There's a reason it exists. Anyway, thanks for the review, and don't worry about it. I could use the constructive criticism once in a while.

**WaterAngel-Alyssa – **Yeah, she was, a little bit. But she did get it back in the end! Thank you for the review, and I'm so glad you like it!

**AntiSora – **I hope this chapter answers those questions about Rhyme and Reida. I tried to make it a point to have them talk about it for just a bit (time is short, and I need to get as many questions answered as possible since the finale and epilogue won't have much time for Q&A, lol). Thank you for the review, and I'm glad you like it! I really appreciate the support, especially for this late chapter!

**Randian Warrior 501 – **Yep, just a couple more chapters to go! Thanks so much for the review! It's really appreciated!

**The Legendaerie LT – **Your review didn't show up until after I uploaded the chapter. was being stupid. *kicks it* Grr…Anyway, thanks for the reviews! Both of them! And yeah, I'm sorry that chapter was so rushed. I was trying to get it out in the middle of college and stuff. I hope this chapter is better (since it took so much longer to make). *sweatdrop*

**Daughter-of-Light13 – **Wow, thanks for the long review! I'm really glad you like it! As for the OOCing, yeah, I started writing this story a year ago, and I realize that some of the parts in it might be a little OOC. I'm thinking that once it's all over, if I have time, I intend to go back over it and fix some of that. In the meantime, though, I'm just focusing on finishing the story. Anyway, thanks, and I'm glad you like it! I always liked Joshua and Rhyme as a pairing because, like you said, they balance each other out pretty well. It's actually why I chose the title Shiro, Kuro. Black and white.

As for the themes, I started doing this for a Livejournal challenge (that I'm no longer involved in, XD) The themes are listed there.

**Notes: **

None in this chapter~


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